Mixed Signals
by punklau
Summary: [AU] Punk and AJ have worked together for several years but will the high AJ has been secretly chasing ever serve her final purpose? In the midst of solving her own problems amongst everyone else's, will she find a man who can really understand her? Does one already understand her? What will it take for her to realise? (Explicit language and chapters of a sexual nature)
1. Partner

**Partner**

* * *

"You ready for this?" Punk turned around, his two hands still resting on the steering wheel as he had just switched off the car engine. He looked on at his partner of eight years. And when he said partner, that meant work partner. He absolutely had no time for a real-life partner.

"It's our job." The brunette shrugged.

"AJ, I know you find this part hard." Punk nodded to her as she folded down the car mirror from above her, checking herself in it to make sure she looked ok.

Punk was a name sported from high school. Philip Jack Brooks was the man beyond all of his tattoos, rock music, piercings and piss poor attitude. He was a police officer. It was all he'd ever known. He was accepted straight into the academy when he dropped out of high school. His disciplinary problems were something that needed to be 'resolved' so his mother put it, and both his parents felt that the academy would help him.

AJ, who sat beside him in the car, no doubt rehearsing her lines over and over again in her head, was actually a lot more important than him in the field of work. She was a detective, and a pretty damn good one. They'd been working together for eight years and there was never a dull moment… apart from these moments, where they'd sit in the car together for just a few minutes, preparing themselves for what they had to do next.

"I'm ok." AJ turned to him with a smile as she folded up the mirror, "Let's go." She nodded to him as they both got out of the car. AJ was abbreviated for April Jeanette, which she normally refused to acknowledge from the minute her mother gave her own name as her middle name. She hadn't spoken to her family, or… what was left of her family, since she moved to Chicago to peruse her career in law enforcement. She'd worked her way up to the top, and unlike Punk, who was happy staying in the same tier, she wanted to keep going, and it wasn't just for the money, it was like a high she was trying to chase.

"You got this." Punk tapped the small of her back whilst walking up the steps to the house they had been parked outside for several minutes. Sometimes she didn't know where she'd be without Punk. Their job wasn't easy, and normally they depended on one another's dry humour to get the other through the day. When she first moved to Chicago, she was out on the field with him every day until she became a detective. He was her best friend. Her only friend. A friend she desperately could have done with many years ago, back when she was in New Jersey.

AJ took a deep breath and rang the doorbell of the house, clasping her hands in front of her as they waited for someone to answer. She wore a tight grey dress with a black coat over it. Normally her uniform consisted of dresses and pants, which she didn't know if she preferred to the uniform or not.

She watched as the door finally opened, a woman standing in a dress robe, just opening the door enough to peek her head out.

"We're sorry it's so late, ma'am." Punk said, as he could tell the woman had been sleeping.

"What's the matter?" The woman asked worriedly, opening the door further.

"I'm detective Mendez." AJ introduced, "This is officer Brooks." She pointed to Punk, "The body of a eighteen year old girl was found a few hours ago. We think it might be your daughter."

* * *

"Hey, you ok?" Punk asked later on as he stopped outside AJ's apartment block, looking on at his partner who sat clutching her take-out bag, staring off into another planet, "AJ." Punk said as AJ shook her head.

"S-Sorry." AJ shook her head, noticing they were finally at her place.

"Are you ok?" Punk asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm ok." AJ smiled to him, "Just… you know how I get when we have to talk to families." She said as he nodded, "I'm ok, though. I have my cheeseburger and fries." She lifted the brown paper bag as he nodded.

"Yeah, which has stunk out my car." Punk said as she rolled her eyes.

"I'll buy you an air freshener." AJ told him, "Drive safe, ok?" She smiled, tapping his shoulder friendlily as she got out of the car, opening up the back door to grab her bag and different folders.

"Will I be seeing you at work tomorrow?" He asked, rolling down the window as she leaned into it.

"I hope so." AJ smiled, "Unless this burger gives me food poisoning."

"Here's hoping." Punk crossed his fingers as she smirked.

"Jerk." She shook her head as he smiled, "I'll give you a call." She said, leaning back and tapping the car before heading into her apartment block with all her things.

Punk laughed to himself as he watched her struggle to get in the door with all the things she was carrying, but smiled and turned away once she'd got in, driving off to go home himself after a long day.

AJ got to her apartment, which just so happened to be on the top floor of course, and finally got inside after practically dropping all her folders on the ground. Never once did she drop the cheeseburger and fries, though.

She got into the well-kept together, spacious one bedroom apartment, placing all her folders on the table, shimmying her coat off and folding it over one of the chairs as she headed over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water, noticing a note on the fridge.

 _I was called out to a meeting in New York. Be gone for three days. Call soon. Love you. J x_

AJ crumpled up the note and threw it in the trash, proceeding to go into the fridge and grab a bottle of water, walking back over to the table, about to sit down and eat her dinner, glancing at the clock that read 10.30pm.

"Screw it." AJ shook her head, grabbing the take-out bag and water and heading across into the bedroom. Tonight, she was eating in her pyjamas under the covers, whilst watching Cake Boss episodes.

* * *

The next morning, Punk was at the station, sitting on one of the computer desks in the open space, talking to one of his long-term friends Dean Ambrose. They'd met all the way back in the academy and since then had been the best of friends.

"Tough day yesterday then?" Dean asked, sitting on the office chair by the desk that Punk was sitting on.

"Yeah, it was hard going." Punk nodded, "Eighteen-year-old, man." Punk shook his head, "No one should be losing their life that young."

"What has AJ got on it so far?" Dean asked.

"Autopsy reports come back this afternoon." Punk said, "She'll know more then. Didn't look like there was any harm to the body. We spoke to her parents yesterday, tried our best to ask them questions but… we couldn't really say much." He shrugged.

"Always the worst part." Dean sighed, leaning forward and beginning to put the sachets of sugar into the coffee Punk had brought him in, stirring it around once pouring them in, "Where is AJ anyway?" Dean asked.

Everyone knew AJ and respected her. She had no bad blood with anyone in the station, and all the officers had admiration for all she done. She loved her job, but sometimes it got too much for her and sometimes she had bad days… but only Punk knew that.

"I'm gonna give her a call." Punk said, standing off the table and heading outside the station to call AJ, placing his phone to his ear as she picked up immediately, "Hey, you need me to come pick you up?" Punk asked.

"Uh, I'm not gonna make it in today, Punk." AJ said as Punk nodded, "It's one of _those_ days."

"Ok, I got you." Punk understood, sensing the tone, "Anything you need me to do for you?" He asked.

"When the autopsy results come in, just sit them on my desk in my office. I'll get them in the morning." AJ said, "Anything urgent just… call me." AJ said, lying in bed, feeling like there were weights keeping her down.

"Ok." Punk said, "Give me a call if you need anything." He said as she smiled.

"Thanks, Punk." She said, hanging up as Punk put his phone back in his pocket.

He walked back into the station, heading back over to Dean, "She's just taking a personal day today." Punk said as Dean nodded, not questioning or suspecting a thing.

"Her fiancé is probably doing her real good right now." Dean said, "Personal day." He scoffed.

"Yeah." Punk attempted to joke along, "What do you think of her fiancé anyway?" He wondered.

"Jacob? He's alright." Dean shrugged whilst filling in some paper work at his desk. They all had their own desks at the station, whilst surrounding the officer's desks, were private offices, AJ's being the biggest one at the top of the station.

"He's never there." Punk said.

"Why do you care?" Dean questioned.

"I don't. But you know, AJ doesn't have it easy with her job. She could use him being around more." Punk said.

"Neither does he." Dean said, "The guy is a top lawyer, but I'm sure he's with her enough if she agreed to marrying him." Dean said whilst continuing to file in some paper work.

"Yeah." Punk shrugged. It didn't bother him to the extent that it was keeping him up at night. But AJ was a good friend, and he would never want to see her get hurt, emotionally, "He is a good guy." Punk nodded, as if assuring himself. He didn't have a problem with her fiancé, besides the fact he never seemed to be there.

"He is." Dean said, leaning back on his office chair as another officer walked by smacking his head as Dean turned around, "Hey, fuck off, Rollins." Dean warned as Seth, another officer laughed to himself, causing Punk to snigger too. They were all like a close family. That was for sure.

"Every time." Punk laughed, "C'mon. We better get out on the beat." He tapped Dean's shoulder.

"Let me get my things." Dean said as he collected his gun, cuffs and badge to take along with him. In a way Punk had many different partners. Dean was his local partner for fulfilling every day jobs. Seth too. But whenever there was a high level of crime committed in the neighbourhood, he'd work alongside AJ. She was one of the best. And it was a privilege to work with her.

* * *

Meanwhile AJ had finally got out of bed and took a shower. Some days she felt like she was in a battle with herself, and it was impossible to do her job to the best of her ability when she felt this way. But it was who she was. It was always going to be there, and it was something she learned how to control the best she could.

She got dressed and headed into the kitchen where she began making herself breakfast despite having little appetite. She knew she had to eat something to go along with her meds.

She sat down at the table with a bowl of cereal and cup of coffee. Her hair was still wet from her shower and she had just taken her medication when her phone began to ring.

She reached over for it and looked to see it was her fiancé, Jacob calling.

"Hey." AJ smiled as she answered the phone.

"Hi, sweetheart." Jacob spoke through the phone, "How are you? I heard about the body."

"Yeah, I'm ok." AJ nodded, "So far there's no signs of murder or any sort of physical damage. Autopsy is coming back soon so… we'll know more then." AJ said, "How are you? What was your meeting about?"

"I was meeting with a client, that's all." Jacob said, "Listen, I know I said that I'd be gone three days, but now it's looking like it might be more." He admitted, "And I know it's coming up for the anniversary of-"

"Don't worry about it." AJ nodded, "I will work throughout and try my best not to think about it. Like I always do." AJ said, fiddling around with the spoon in her cereal bowl, "I took a personal day today."

"Are you allowed to do that?" Jacob asked. He was always very encouraging about her career, even though he'd had no input to her success what so ever. She'd made it on her own. With her own drive. Despite everything she'd been through.

"Yeah." AJ laughed lightly, "It's just one of those days I guess."

"Well you gotta power through." Jacob said immediately, "Look I gotta go, but I'll talk to you later, ok? Love you." He said.

"Love you-" AJ Listened as the line went dead, "Too." She whispered, placing her phone down on the table whilst running her hand through her wet hair. Powering through sometimes wasn't so easy for someone living with bipolar disorder.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think so far! The story won't just be about AJ's bipolar, but I felt it necessary to make it apparent in the story. REVIEW and tell me what you think. Thanks.**


	2. Lost Cause

**Lost Cause**

* * *

The next morning, AJ was back at work at the station, and was in her office going over the autopsy from the body that had been found of the eighteen year old girl.

"Hot chocolate." Punk smiled as he walked into her office, sitting down the Starbucks take-away cup, "Extra whip of course." He said as AJ smiled, leaning forward on her seat and reaching for the hot chocolate.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, "I've read the autopsy results." AJ patted her hand on the sealed away report.

"Yeah? How's it looking?" Punk asked her.

"There was a stream of heroin in her blood. Suggests an overdose." AJ said, "Once we get a better clue about where she was going, or where she was coming back from, maybe it'll all add up. I have one of her best friends coming in today for a statement." AJ said, standing up and tidying up her desk which was a mess with papers and files.

"How you feeling?" Punk asked her.

"Better." AJ nodded to him positively, "It was just an off day. You know I can be… up and down." She said as he nodded. He did know. He was amongst the very few who did know.

"You're feeling better now, though?" Punk asked her, making sure.

"I'm fine." AJ nodded, "I have lots to do today, so… I don't wanna be rude or nothing but-"

"But get the fuck out of my office?" Punk questioned with a smirk as she nodded.

"In other words, yeah." AJ chuckled.

"I am also a busy guy today. I have two donuts to eat today instead of two." He said.

"You police officers have it so easy." AJ joked as he nodded.

"Of course we do." Punk said as she smiled, "Ok, I'm leaving." He said, heading for the door.

"Wait, Punk." AJ called him back, "Once I talk to Dianne's friend." AJ said, referring to the girl of course who had tragically died, "She might know things. Places-"

"Shout me and I'll be there." Punk winked to her playfully as she smiled, watching him leave the office as she watched through the clear window as he headed over to Dean and Seth, messing around with them whilst she carried on tidying up her office.

* * *

Later that day, whilst AJ was in one of the interviewing rooms talking to Dianne's friend about anything she knew, along the lines of… if she knew Dianne was taking drugs, where she got them from, questions like that, Punk was taking an important phone call with Dean and Seth hovering by like children.

"Who was that?" Dean asked almost immediately once Punk put the phone down.

"Missing person report." Punk said, "Hey, listen up!" Punk shouted loudly as the station quietened down and all eyes were on him, "Missing person. Age 15. Dark hair. Average height. White American. Female. Last seen at Wicker Park last night and hasn't returned home." Punk told them all as they took mental notes, "We'll get pictures real soon but right now get out and see if there's anything going on. Any small detail goes a long way." He said, reaching for his gun and cuffs, "Let's go." Punk nodded to Dean.

Sometimes cases would clash and whilst AJ dealt with one case, Punk would be leading in another. But they always came together to help one another in the end.

Punk and Dean left the station, getting into one of the cop cars as they took off to the address that had contacted Punk about the missing girl.

"So what's going on with AJ?" Dean asked as Punk kept his eyes on the road.

"What do you mean?" Punk asked.

"Well… she went straight to her office this morning. Barely even said a word to anyone." Dean said.

"She's just finding this case tough, that's all." Punk said.

"That and… it's coming up for her sister's anniversary." Dean said as Punk nodded.

"I know." Punk said, "She normally just treats it like a normal day." He said.

"Must be hard." Dean said.

"It happened a long time ago." Punk said.

"Still her sister." Dean nodded, "Does she ever go out? Does she have any friends? Out with her job?" Dean questioned.

"Why do you ask me? As if I'll know better than anyone else?" Punk questioned.

"Well because you will." Dean said, "You work with her."

"Yeah. Exactly. I work with her." Punk said, "That's it. It's not like she tells me things about her personal life." He said. But he knew that wasn't true. AJ did tell him lots of things. Perhaps not really personal stuff, but she did spill more to him than anyone else, "She loves her job. Her job is everything to her. And I respect that."

"I do too." Dean said, "Trust me, the woman is a machine, mentally and physically." He nodded, "But sometimes I get the vibe that she's… a little too quiet to be a detective."

"She keeps her work private." Punk said, "It's not her job to go out and tell everyone everything." He said, "Anyway, back to work." Punk said, informing Dean more about the call he'd taken as they drove to the address that was given to them.

* * *

Later on that day, Punk had returned to the station after AJ called him. Dean was still out getting leads on the missing person case.

"What did you get?" Punk asked, walking into AJ's office. Small things like walking into her office was ok for him, but any other officer AJ would have scolded them for barging in. He was allowed to. Come to think about it, he didn't know why.

"We are going to arrest someone." AJ smiled, putting on her coat.

"Don't tease." Punk said, "Already?"

"Mhm." AJ smiled, "Dianne's friend talked. A lot." She nodded, "This was the first time she'd taken any sort of drugs. That was clear from the autopsy." She said, grabbing her own gun and handcuffs, walking out of the office with Punk and locking her office door behind her

"So, you found out where she got it?" Punk asked as they walked through the station.

"Apparently Dianne's boyfriend was a drug dealer. He's older. I have an address for him." AJ said, "You know drug dealers though, they hide things pretty well." She said as they got into a cop car outside.

"Yeah, you're right. Especially if they've found out that their gear has killed a girl. They might have taken off immediately." Punk said as AJ put on her seatbelt and Punk started the car.

"Well let's hope not." AJ said as Punk took off once glancing at the address AJ showed him, "I heard there was a missing person reported. Why didn't you let me know?" She asked him.

"You were in the interview." Punk said, "Dean is on it." He nodded

"Once we clear this up, I'll jump in it." AJ nodded as Punk glanced at her and then back at the road.

"AJ, c'mon. Give yourself a second to breathe." Punk said, "Let's just focus on this first. It's covered. Tons of cases get reported every day. You know we're overflowing with cops." Punk said, "It's your job to piece things together. For bigger crimes."

"You know me, I like being involved in anything I can." AJ shrugged.

"Trust me, I know." Punk chuckled as she smiled to herself. She was gorgeous. There was no doubt about that. And he thought it was amazing how someone as small as her could be so dangerous, and so smart. It didn't come as a shock to him when Jacob did ask her to marry him.

"So, how is the wedding planning going?" Punk asked her as AJ groaned silently.

"Well, it's hard. When only one part of the wedding party is at home." She shook her head.

"He's away again?" Punk asked as AJ nodded.

"The note said three days. Then he called yesterday morning to tell me it might be more." AJ said, "And I get it. He loves his job and I'm the perfect example of someone who understand that, but… it feels like the minute he gets home, he's getting called bac out to somewhere again." AJ shook her head. She was used to complaining about Jacob to Punk. Like said before, he was her only friend, and sometimes she just had to vent to him about everything.

"Isn't there any way he can work local?" Punk asked her.

"Trust me. Every time we get into that conversation he just flips out on me." AJ said, "It's coming up for my sister's anniversary." AJ said as he nodded, "And… you know I normally just carry on like it's a normal day. I know that if I think about it too much, it just gets me down." She said, "And he's normally always here to keep my mind off of things." She said.

"And he won't be this year?" Punk asked her.

"No." AJ said, "I'm not one to bitch and complain but… I only get mad because I care. Because I miss him." She said as Punk nodded.

"I agree with you." Punk said, "He should be here more."

"You'd tell me if I was being a bitch, right? If I was being unreasonable?" She turned to him.

"You know I would." Punk said, "Your marriage isn't gonna be healthy if it functions like that."

"You're right." AJ said, "I need to talk to him when he gets back." AJ sighed.

"Hey, if you wanna get out the house, you know, on your sister's anniversary… call me." Punk said, "I know it's something you struggle with, and I'd be happy to help. You could even come to the bar with me and the boys."

"I don't drink." AJ said.

"And I do?" Punk questioned sarcastically as she smiled.

"That's kind of you." AJ smiled, "You'd think by now that I've just… gotten used to it. That I've accepted what happened." She shook her head.

"She was your big sister and you loved her. No one expects you to get over it." Punk said.

"It happened so long ago, though." AJ sighed, "I can still remember it. Clear as day."

"How much older was she again?" Punk asked.

"Just two years." AJ said, "We were so close." She smiled, "We done everything together." She said as Punk smiled, "Anyway…" She shook her head as Punk pulled up to the destination which was an apartment block on the run down side of town.

"Seriously, if you need out of the house, just call me. We might be jerks but we'll try our best to make you laugh." He nodded as she smiled.

"It wouldn't be hard." AJ said, "Thank you but… I think I'll just work as much as I can so that when I come home I'll just crash."

"The offer still stands, either way." Punk said, patting her shoulder as she smiled, watching him get out of the car as she smiled to herself. He always found the smallest of ways to make her smile. She'd loved working with him from the minute she met him.

She got out of the car and followed Punk up the steps into the apartment block.

"It's the middle floor." AJ said as Punk nodded, both of them walking up the stairs as they got to the apartment they were looking for. AJ nodded to Punk who knocked on the door loudly.

"This is the police! Open up!" Punk yelled as AJ's hand hovered by her gun in her back pocket.

Once they heard no response, AJ tried the door handle and surprisingly it was opened. She headed into the apartment first as Punk followed, holding his gun up as AJ did the same in front.

"Todd Burns! This is the police." AJ called out as nothing could be heard in the apartment. She then turned to Punk and nodded for him to check the bedroom and bathroom whilst he headed to the kitchen and living room.

Punk searched the bedroom and found no one there, and walked across to the bathroom, pausing as he found their guy… dead in an empty bath, five needles on the bathroom floor beside him.

"AJ!" Punk called, placing his gun back in his pocket as AJ appeared beside him, looking on at the dead body, "Do you think it's a suicide?" Punk asked her as AJ scanned the bathroom, crouching down at the needles and looking at the body.

"He wouldn't be in the bath otherwise." AJ said, "Unless someone has put him there." She turned to Punk, "I'll make a call." She told him, stepping outside as Punk looked on at the body and sighed.

* * *

Later that night, after a busy evening, Punk was dropping AJ at her apartment. They were never supposed to work this late, but AJ couldn't help herself sometimes. Tonight they'd just found another piece to the jigsaw, which was a little frustrating.

"So if he's not the dealer then who is?" Punk questioned, parking outside AJ's apartment block as she ran her hands over his face.

"We're back at square one." AJ said, "Tomorrow I'm gonna run my checks on him. See who he knows, what life he's about." AJ nodded, "Might lead us to something, I don't know." She said. She stressed about it, but there was no better feeling than putting a case to bed. She got adrenalin from him.

"Ok." Punk nodded, "You take it easy." He told her as she smiled.

"You too." AJ smiled, shoving him playfully as she got out of the car tiredly, opening up the back seat again to collect her folders.

"My offer still stands, you know." Punk told her, rolling down the window. He done this every night. Where she'd get out of the car and he still didn't want to stop talking to her.

"I feel like I'd just be a mom sitting in the corner with you guys." AJ shrugged, "I don't wanna intrude."

"Don't be ridiculous." Punk said, "It's up to you." He shrugged as she smiled.

"Goodnight." AJ said, "I'll see you in the morning." She smiled as he saluted her, watching her walk off and disappear into the apartment block as he drove off.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm excited about this one. REVIEW and let me know what you guys think so far of it.**


	3. Coming Home

**Coming Home**

* * *

It was a few days later, and in the midst of AJ and Punk working on the Dianne Summers, trying to get to the bottom of who had supplied not only her, but her boyfriend with clearly tampered drugs, AJ had to face the reality of her big sister's death anniversary, which was normally a tough day for her.

She'd agreed to going out with Punk and some other officers from the station that he was friendly with. She didn't know what she was thinking, since the minute she got there she felt like she just wanted to walk straight back out.

It was a nice bar, and it wasn't filled with men like she expected, but she just felt really awkward and out of place, but luckily for her, Punk spotted that, and made sure he was keeping her in conversation as best as he could.

"Ok, my round." Seth stood up from around the table, "Same again for everyone?" He asked as they all nodded, "AJ, you want something a bit stronger?" He looked at her empty glass that just had water in it.

"Just a water again." AJ nodded.

"Ok." Seth smiled pleasantly, collecting the few empty glasses from the table and heading back to the bar to get the next round.

"I think I'll go after the next drink." AJ turned to Punk who also was drinking just a soda. He didn't drink. AJ always assumed it was because his father was an abusive drunk, but only she knew that…

"I'll drive you home." Punk nodded. He wasn't gonna insist that she stayed. He would hate to be forced to be some place that he didn't want to. He wasn't pushy or overwhelming. She liked that about him.

"I'm only a few blocks away." AJ smiled bashfully.

"I'm driving you." Punk said, ending that part of the conversation as AJ smiled, "We aren't that bad, are we?" He asked her, having their own private conversation.

"No." AJ said, "I'm just… this type of thing isn't my scene. It was dumb of me to think I'd enjoy myself." She shook her head.

"Your head is somewhere else." Punk said, "If it's not on the case we're working on, then it's your sister." He said, "I just thought this would maybe help a little." He shrugged.

"It has." AJ said immediately, placing her hand on his arm, "Believe me, I appreciate you trying to get me out, to take my mind off things." She nodded, "But it's just not my type of thing. You know that."

"I know." Punk smiled. He didn't want her to feel bad for not feeling comfortable. He knew she was very reserved and distant from situations like this, "After the next one I'll drive you home." He nodded to her as she smiled.

* * *

The night carried on until another drink was drunk, and even though AJ did appear to be laughing and smiling, Punk knew that wasn't how she felt on the inside, and took her home after they'd finished up the second drink. He didn't take offence to her not wanting to be out with them. He knew it was nothing against him or his friends.

"So are you going back to New Jersey at some point?" Punk asked, driving along the dark road with AJ in the passenger's seat beside him. She was wearing exactly what she had on at work. A black dress, a black coat and black boots. She was never really in much colour.

"Why would I be going back?" AJ asked.

"Well I know sometimes you go back to visit the grave." Punk said.

"I don't know if I will this year." AJ said, "I always end up running into my mother and that is something I try my best to avoid."

"I know the feeling." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"How are your parents?" AJ asked him. As much as Punk was always there for her, she was also there for him just as much, even though he never seemed bothered by any sort of life problems he ever had to face.

"I don't know." Punk said truthfully, "Haven't spoken to them in… a year I think." Punk shrugged as AJ sighed.

"And your brother?" AJ asked.

"In prison." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"How long until he gets out?" AJ asked.

"I don't know and I don't care either." Punk admitted truthfully.

"I know you care." AJ said, "That's your family."

"No. My family is the station. They're the closest thing to a family I've ever had." He said.

"I know what you mean." AJ smiled, "We don't choose our parents." AJ shrugged.

"No. If we did, I wouldn't have the ones I do." He said, pulling up outside AJ's apartment block.

"Thank you for getting me out for a little while." AJ smiled, "It did take my mind off things but I guess I'm just tired. I mean, I'll say that and I'll probably be awake for the full night." She admitted with a light laugh.

"Anytime." Punk smiled, "The worst thing is for you to be alone. It's good to get out. Talk to people." He nodded.

"Maybe." AJ said, "Between thinking about this case we're working on and my sister, tonight I am officially ready to get home and put my pyjamas on." She smiled to him.

"You find it hard to move on from it?" Punk asked her, leaning his head back against the car seat. Everyone knew about her sister's death. It was no secret.

"I think I'd rest a lot easier knowing that whoever done it, was in prison." AJ said, "But I don't have that clearance yet." She said, "She raised me. She was my mom and my sister." She said, "When mom would go out on binges and not come home for days, Gabrielle got me up for school, made me breakfast, helped me with my homework… done everything she could to help me." AJ said as Punk nodded, "And she wasn't just murdered. She was tortured and beaten. Probably just for fun." She said, "Because it wasn't just the one killer." She nodded, "I know it wasn't. That's what they told us, to make sure we didn't have to suffer anymore pain but I know there was more than one." She nodded.

"You're digging into it again?" Punk asked her, "April, look what happened the last time you done this-"

"I don't care, Phil." AJ said seriously, using his unspoken birth name, "They're out there."

"So are other killers." Punk said, "Some are great at disguising themselves."

"No one can disguise themselves from me." AJ said, "You know that." She said as he nodded.

"I do know that, but it's not healthy for you to dig into something that happened a long time ago, regardless of it being your sister."

"You don't know how it feels." AJ shook her head, "She was the only person I had in this world. And she was taken away." She shook her head as Punk sighed.

"You know how sorry I am." Punk sighed, "There are some awful people in the world."

"And it's our job to stop them." AJ said.

"I know that, but your sister wouldn't want this. She wouldn't want it… driving you crazy, and I'm saying that word because I know you aren't afraid of it." He nodded, "I know you use it to your advantage, especially in your line of work." He said. He knew about her bipolar disorder, but he also knew that at times, when she was going through a high spell, it would help her out in discovering new things in cases, new things they never picked up on before. She wasn't ashamed of her disorder. He'd watched her become more comfortable with it as time went by, and actually use it as her advantage with her job, but obviously sometimes it was more difficult, and he knew that also.

"I just want some justice." AJ said.

"I want justice for you too." Punk nodded, "But sometimes you just gotta let things be, ok?" He said in a reassuring voice, "We have plenty of work to be getting on with. Think about all the people you've helped in the past? All the criminals you've helped uncover and get imprisoned. How proud would your sister be right now?" He smiled as she nodded to herself.

"She'd be proud." AJ smiled to herself as Punk nodded, glad to see that smile reappearing.

"She would." Punk nodded, "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, ok? We'll get to the bottom of this Dianne Summers case." He said as she nodded.

"Damn right we will." AJ smiled, "Thank you… thank you for being you." AJ nodded, "You're a great friend." She smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek as he smiled.

"I know I am." Punk nodded smugly as she shoved him away and began to get out of the car, "Goodnight." He waved as she waved back and headed into her apartment block as he sat in the car, not moving.

AJ got upstairs to apartment and opened up the door which appeared to be already opened. She then looked at the bags at the front door and immediately smiled as she rushed further into the apartment, smiling upon seeing her fiancé standing in the sitting area.

"Oh my God." AJ smiled, running to him and wrapping her arms around him, "You said you'd be another few days." She gasped.

"I sped things up a little." Jacob smiled, cupping her face, "How are you? I missed you." He said, pressing a soft, steamy kiss on her lips as she kissed back.

"I've been ok." AJ smiled, pulling back from the kiss, "But I'm so glad you're home. I guess I sort of needed you tonight." She admitted as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He was still in his suit, but his jacket was off as well as his tie, so he only had his suit pants and a white shirt on, which had the top two buttons undone. He was a handsome man that AJ had met a few years back whilst working an assault case, whom he had represented the victim.

"I know I was scared incase you'd gone to New Jersey. I know sometimes you like to go visit the grave." Jacob said, caressing her cheek as she nodded.

"Not this year I think." AJ said.

"Too much?" Jacob asked.

"That and I am knee deep in a case right now." She admitted, "Oh, I'm just so glad you're home." She said, wrapping her arms back around him tightly.

Meanwhile Punk still sat outside in his car. He still didn't like the idea of AJ being alone for the night. It must have been hard for her and he just wanted to be a good friend and be there for her. He figured he'd go up and check in, maybe watch a movie together. They'd done it before, it wasn't a strange occurrence.

He got out of his car and headed into her block, walking up the stairs and getting to her door which he knocked on.

AJ immediately answered the door and he smiled, "Hey." Punk smiled.

"Hey, are you ok?" AJ wondered with confusion as Punk nodded, about to speak up when Jacob appeared behind AJ.

"Oh, hey Phil." Jacob smiled.

"Jacob." Punk nodded with surprise, "Hey, man." Punk nodded, "I thought you were out of town all week?" Punk questioned.

"I got things sped up a little so I could get home to April." Jacob smiled, placing his hand on AJ's waist as Punk nodded, watching as AJ smiled up at her fiancé. He assumed tonight, she wouldn't be alone, which meant, he didn't have to worry.

"Right." Punk nodded as AJ turned to him and watched him, "Ok." He said.

"Is everything ok?" AJ questioned.

"Yeah. Fine." Punk assured her, "I just wanted to make sure you got in ok." Punk told her honestly as she smiled.

"I'm glad you have a partner like him, babe." Jacob tapped AJ's back playfully as he walked away as AJ smiled.

"I'll get going." Punk nodded to her.

"Punk." She called as he turned around before walking down the stairs, "Thanks again." She smiled.

"Yeah, sure." Punk waved at her, "See you tomorrow." He said, heading down the stairs as he heard the apartment door close over.

* * *

 **A/N: REVIEW, let me know what you think!**


	4. Plus One

**Plus One**

* * *

The next morning Punk got to the station where AJ was already in her office. He was glad that Jacob had gotten home early to be with her, although he didn't have a problem in keeping her company.

He walked over to his desk and sat his things down whilst Dean approached him, patting him on the back good morning as Punk nodded to him.

"Morning, sunshine." Dean smiled, tapping Punk's cheek as Punk brushed his hand away. He wasn't much of a morning person, especially when he hadn't had coffee, which he hadn't, "Ready for a hard day's work?"

"Aren't I always?" Punk asked him, "How is it going trying to find that girl?" Punk asked him. There were so many cases reported every day that they dealt with. Of course some were more serious than others, and certain police officers were subjected to different types of crime that would be reported. More or less everyone was in charge of something different.

"Coming up at a lot of dead ends." Dean admitted truthfully, "Not giving up though. I reckon she's still alive. It's not the first time she's never came home. That's something to hold onto." Dean nodded.

"Well keep me updated." Punk patted his shoulder.

"I will." Dean nodded, "I think AJ has some new leads on your case. She's been pacing in her office all morning." Dean said as Punk turned to the back of the station where he indeed, saw AJ pacing up and down, picking up and putting down file after file. He'd saw her solve the trickiest crimes ever, and he knew that it was that determination and creativity she had inside her.

"I'll go see what she's got so far." Punk said, heading down the station, walking into AJ's office and shutting the door behind him.

"Oh, hey." AJ smiled, walking back over to her desk and rearranging some files, "I think I'm onto something here."

"Yeah?" Punk walked over to the desk, "What you got?"

"So, this was Dianne's first time taking drugs. Heroin." AJ nodded, "Her best friend told us that her boyfriend was into drugs, but she also mentioned to me that he never had the one supplier. He'd had a bust up with his usual dealer and had to change." AJ said, running her hands through her hair, "One month ago, a man was found overdosed in his house. Heroin." AJ said, bringing out another case, "It could quite possibly be the same dealer."

"How would that explain the boyfriend overdosing?" Punk questioned.

"A set up?" AJ shrugged, "Make it look like he overdosed in guilt for dealing his girl dodgy drugs."

"It all seems a little patchy." Punk admitted.

"I know. I know things aren't tied up but it's all I've got right now." AJ said, "Dianne's friend gave me another address. She said it's basically a crack den. If we show up there we might be able to figure out who is dealing what." AJ said, "But I don't know. I guess they'll be being a lot more careful after what's been happening." AJ shrugged.

"Well let's go check out this address then." Punk shrugged as AJ nodded.

"I'll get my things and meet you in the car." AJ told him as he nodded and left the office to get in the car outside.

AJ eventually caught up and they were on their way to the address AJ had written down. Sometimes cases were a little harder to figure out than others, and sometimes some cases had to be neglected, but AJ normally got to the bottom of them one way or another.

"So that was a nice surprise last night. Jacob coming home." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "Yeah, it was nice not to be alone." AJ nodded, "We might actually get some wedding planning done these next few nights too." AJ said, surprise to her own voice, "It's nice having something positive to look forward to." She nodded.

"I bet." Punk smiled as AJ turned to him.

"You know your invite is plus one." AJ said.

"Well I don't have a plus one." Punk laughed lightly.

"Maybe you could find one." AJ said, "I mean, the wedding is still a year away."

"I don't have the time." Punk said, "You know what happens every time I have a girlfriend."

"You overthink things and ruin it for yourself. Yeah, I know." AJ nodded.

"I don't need a girlfriend, thanks very much." Punk said, "I don't have that much attention to give to someone."

"I still fit it in." AJ said, "I'm just as busy as you."

"Well we're all different." Punk said, turning a corner as they began to head into the rough side of town, "You just focus on your relationship. Don't worry about me." He said.

"I don't." AJ remarked smugly as he shook his head with a smile, "We should be getting close." AJ said as Punk drove slowly, both of them looking at the numbers on the barely standing houses.

"You packing?" Punk asked her.

"Obviously." AJ said, "Are you?"

"Obviously." Punk repeated as she smiled, "I think this is us." Punk stopped the car against the side walk, looking up at the house that looked run down as much as it could be.

They got out of the car quietly and both walked up the steps. AJ pointed round the side of the house for Punk to stand since he was in uniform, and she suspected that anyone who was in the house, would look out the window to check on who was there. It was why AJ made a point of taking a normal car and not a cop one.

She knocked on the door, placing her hands in her coat pocket as she waited patiently, watching a man come to the door. He was a shade of yellow with bags so large under his eyes, she was frightened he would trip up over them. He looked like a skeleton and she knew this was definitely a meeting point for dealers in the neighbourhood. The smell had her almost choking when he opened the house.

"What?" The man grumbled as AJ spotted through the hallway some guys in the kitchen.

"Detective Mendez." AJ said, pulling out her badge from her coat pocket as she immediately saw one of the men in the kitchen notice and sprint off, "Go! Back garden!" AJ turned to Punk who ran down the side of the house, climbing the fence as he tried to track the runner.

Meanwhile AJ pulled out her gun, pointing it at the man at the door, "Don't try anything." AJ warned, stepping into the house as the man put his hands up and backed away.

"You have a warrant?" The man asked.

"Shut up." AJ spat, "Get in." She pointed to the living room, or what she thought was the living room, "All of you!" She said to the other few men standing around, getting them into the living room as she called for back-up

AJ walked into the living room once they were all there, looking around as she saw the supplies of drugs lying everywhere, scattered money alongside it.

Meanwhile Punk was running down a back alley to catch the runner who really stood no chance with him. He was a frail thing, a running skeleton, and it only took a few fences and a few yards for Punk to get by for him to get his hands on him, grabbing a hold of him and pulling his cuffs out.

"Get off of me, man!" The man yelled.

"Oh, be quiet." Punk spat, cuffing the man and pushing him forward, "Running as soon as you see a cop tells me exactly what I need to know." Punk said to him as the man walked in front in silence, "You know what you've done. And you'll have a long time to think about it behind prison bars." He said as the man slowed down, "Keep walking!" Punk yelled, walking their way back to the house around the corner where more police cars were gathered, and one by one the other men in the house were escorted out in handcuffs.

* * *

"Case closed." AJ smiled, approaching Punk at his desk once she'd gotten out of an interviewing room with the runner from earlier today, "The runner was our guy. He sold the drugs to Dianne's boyfriend who then gave some to Dianne. Once her boyfriend heard that she had died from the drugs, he overdosed on them by choice it seemed." AJ said, "This guy also sold drugs to that man I was speaking about earlier. The one who was found in his house." AJ nodded, "He's going away for a long time. So are the rest of his clan." AJ said, "Now maybe that house can get cleared and be useful to someone who really needs it. A single mother. An elderly couple. Someone." AJ nodded.

"Good work, detective." Punk nudged her shoulder with his fist as she smiled.

"Ah, we were just at the right place at the right time." AJ shrugged, "Won't be long until we're deep into something else." She smiled, "I'm uh… I'm gonna get off early today. I'm meeting Jacob for dinner." She said.

"Well have fun." Punk smiled.

"I will." AJ said, "I'll see you tomorrow." She said.

"See you tomorrow." He nodded, watching as she left the station, collapsing down at his desk whilst running his hand through his hair.

Maybe she was right, maybe he did have to give a relationship a chance. He did find himself being a tad jealous that she had someone to go home to at night, but then again… most of the time she went home to an empty apartment.

He hadn't been in a relationship since at least a year ago. He'd just lived on one night hook-ups since then, but maybe it was time he got himself out there.

"Dean, what you up to tonight?" Punk turned to his friend beside him.

"Nothing. I don't think." Dean said as Punk stood up.

"Good, because we're going out." Punk told him as Dean smiled.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	5. Off Day

**Off Day**

* * *

"What about this colour for the chair covers?" AJ asked, sitting with her fiancé in their apartment whilst flicking through a wedding brochure. Her fiancé however was sitting on his laptop whilst scribbling things down on some files, "Babe." AJ said softly as Jacob looked up.

"Uh… yeah, whatever you want." Jacob nodded.

"Well I want us to decide together." AJ said, "It's not just my wedding day." She shrugged.

"I really don't care what colour the chairs are. Anything will do." Jacob shook his head as AJ frowned.

"Are you gonna decide on anything?" AJ asked him as he put his pen down and took a deep breath.

"Look, honey I came home early to be with you, but I still have work to do that I should have been doing with my clients." Jacob said.

"You were on your phone all the way through the dinner." AJ folded her arms, calling him out and not being afraid to.

"I have a lot to do." Jacob said.

"Yeah, so do I but I leave my work at the office." AJ said.

"Well unfortunately I don't have that luxury." Jacob said, "I'm sorry. My schedule will get lighter, I promise." He placed his hand on top of hers, patting it lightly as AJ stayed silent.

"You're just… always gone, so when you're home I prefer that we spend some time together… no… work involved." AJ nodded, "But if you have to do it, I guess you have to." She shrugged, "I'm not really in the mood to decide on anything tonight." She admitted, closing over the wedding brochure.

"April, don't be like that." Jacob sighed, watching AJ stand up and walk into their open kitchen, sitting her empty glass in the sink from which she had been drinking water from, "When I have time we'll sit down together and we'll plan everything we need to for the wedding." He said, "I'll give you my full attention." He nodded.

"Ok." AJ smiled sweetly, "I'm gonna get an early night." She said.

"I'll be in shortly." Jacob yawned, turning back to his laptop as AJ watched him. She'd convinced herself that the reason she loved Jacob was because they both shared the same obsessive love for their jobs, but sometimes all she wanted was a little bit of affection and attention from time to time, especially when she barely saw him as it was.

She walked by him and into their bedroom, closing the door over and got ready for bed.

* * *

The next morning, Punk woke up, feeling a hand on his lower stomach that didn't belong to him, turning to his side as he realised his date from last night turned into how all his dates went… a one night stand who he'd never call again after they left.

He'd gone out with Dean, his wing man since the beginning of time, and decided on trying to find someone he could maybe get to know, beyond just having sex. Someone that could be his so called plus one to AJ's wedding. Perhaps he was just trying to make himself feel better. Or perhaps he wondered if he could have a fiancé like AJ did. He never thought he would be able to balance his job with a relationship but AJ done it pretty well… so he thought.

He removed the girls hand from over his body and stood up out of his bed, sliding on a pair of boxers as the girl in bed began to stir around.

"Going somewhere?" Punk heard from behind him, having tried his best to be as quiet as he possibly could be.

"Morning." Punk nodded to the blonde girl, "I have to get ready for work." Punk said.

"So you want me to leave?" She smiled.

"Well I'll be leaving so-" Punk looked around awkwardly as the girl smiled, "I can drop you off… wherever you need to go." He said, watching her get out of bed as she began putting her clothes on.

"No, don't worry." She smiled, "I only live a few blocks away." She said, "I had a good time last night." She smiled over her shoulder at him whilst putting her bra on as Punk nodded.

"Me too." Punk smiled. He wasn't lying. He did have a good time. But it was enough for him, "Listen, Kelly… I'm not really-"

"You're not looking for anything more?" Kelly smiled, shimmying her jeans on, "I know. I don't think I am either but you bought me a drink last night and I am… a sucker for green eyes." She smiled across to him.

"Are you sure I can't give you a ride home?" Punk asked her.

"I'm sure." Kelly smiled, grabbing her coat from his bedroom floor and putting it on, flicking her hair out from underneath, "Thanks for your hospitality." She winked to him, opening up his bedroom door and rushing downstairs as she left the house.

Punk collapsed back on his bed, getting a glance of the clock on the nightstand, "Fuck." Punk bolted back up, not noticing how late it was.

* * *

Punk got to the station after sleeping in late, rushing to his desk before anyone could notice until he felt a slap at the back of his head, turning around and expecting it to be Dean when he saw AJ walking by.

"Uh, that hurt." Punk rubbed the back of his head whilst catching up with her.

"Yeah? It was supposed to." AJ said, walking into her office as Punk followed, "You enjoy your sleep?" She asked him, walking round her desk, "You stink of perfume." She said. She always had the same attitude whenever she found a hint that he'd been with a girl, which baffled him since she tried to encourage him to date, but when he tried to she'd scold him for it.

"I never had time to shower." Punk explained.

"Gross." AJ said, "Anyway, there was a dead body found outside The Red Moon strip club. You been before?" She questioned as he rolled his eyes, "It was a stripper that was found. Her name is Nica Calzone. She is from Costa Rica. Came to the states five years ago." AJ said.

"And she was murdered?" Punk asked.

"Three stab wounds." AJ said, sliding him over pictures as he took them from her, "One to the stomach, hip and chest. No murder weapon found at the scene but her body was dragged from the back entrance to the club, all the way round to the dumpster at the side. Not sure why." AJ shrugged.

"Who wants to a murder a stripper?" Punk asked.

"Someone did." AJ said, "Do I need to ask one of the girls to come with me on this or can you handle talking to a bunch of strippers?" She stood up as he made a face at her.

"You're in a funny mood today." Punk noticed. She was snappy. Annoyed. Perhaps hiding the fact she was upset about something.

"Well, excuse me if having a killer on the loose has put me at edge a little." AJ said, "Let's go." She said, heading out of her office as Punk followed whilst shaking his head, walking by the officers who were imitating whip noises and actions. He did get a lot of grief from the guys, and girls on the force for pretty much always doing what AJ told him to, but it wasn't like that. If AJ was ever in the wrong he'd let her know and vice versa, but today she did seem a little off.

"What's wrong with you?" Punk asked her up straight as he got into the car with her.

"What do you mean?" AJ asked.

"I mean… what's wrong with you? You're like a wet mop today." He told her up straight.

"I'm fine." AJ said.

"Bad day?" Punk said. He knew when she was having an extremely good day where her mood was almost be of a hyper kind, and he knew when she was in her depressive cycle where she snapped and cursed upon anyone who got in her way, but he was close enough to her to ask her what was wrong.

"No. It's not a bad day. I just… don't like waking up to a murder case." She said, "And I don't like when my partner is late for work." She spat.

"I slept in. Give me a break." Punk shook his head as she turned to him and sighed.

"Sorry." She mumbled, reminding herself that whenever she slept in if she was finding it hard to get to work on her off days, he would always cut her slack, "I'm sorry, I'm just… I don't know how I feel today." She admitted, "But… you got lucky last night?" She smiled.

"I guess." Punk shrugged.

"So, she's not worth calling back?" AJ asked sadly.

"Nah." Punk shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road as she looked up at him. She didn't know what it was about him. She wanted him to date because she knew that any girl would be so lucky to have him. She wanted him to find love, like she had… but another part of her really didn't want him to get with anyone, and she couldn't understand why. It was like when she smelled perfume on him this morning, she got a bad feeling in her stomach.

"Well, Jacob had to go back to New York this morning." AJ told him.

"Is he ever home for like… more than three days?" Punk questioned.

"I can't remember the last time he was." AJ sighed, "I just want one night with him where he's not on his phone or his laptop. Just a night where he looks at me the entire night." She said, "The way things used to be."

"His schedule will get lighter." Punk said.

"He said that." AJ nodded, "I'm just trying to be positive although, I have a doctor appointment later today and I have a feeling she's gonna up my meds." She said, "Just with how I've been feeling when she reads my track diary."

"Well maybe it's for the best." Punk said, "You put your health first. Before your job. Before… Jacob." Punk nodded, "That's the most important thing." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch." AJ sighed.

"It's fine. I've dealt with it for eight years." Punk shook his head playfully as she smiled to herself. She could always count on him to lift her spirits, even in the slightest of ways.

Punk pulled up outside of the strip club and they both got out of the car where the manager was already outside waiting for them.

"Hello, I'm detective Mendez." AJ lifted her badge as she extended her hand to the managed who shook it.

"Officer Brooks." Punk nodded whilst shaking the managers hand.

"I'm Gerry West." Gerry nodded.

"We won't take up much of your time." AJ said, "We just need to ask a few questions." She said as Gerry nodded, completely understanding and willing to talk, which was always a plus.

* * *

Once AJ and Punk had spoken to Gerry, they spoke to a few of the girls who worked at the club and asked what they knew about Nica and when they last saw her, which they all said they saw her last outside smoking her cigarette whilst they all left the club. They also asked to see the club's CCTV footage that was conveniently not working for some reason, which had AJ and Punk suspicious a little. Once they'd got everything they needed so far, they left the club and headed back to the station.

"What do you think?" Punk asked.

"I think it's way too convenient that the CCTV footage isn't working." AJ nodded, "But those girls look shook up."

"What about the manager?" Punk said, "He seemed a little off."

"I don't know." AJ shook her head.

"Do you reckon it's someone who knows her?" Punk asked.

"I'm not sure." AJ said, "Maybe she was just unlucky that she decided to smoke her fag before heading home." AJ shook her head, "Give me a day." She put her hand up, "But I want everyone on alert of all strip clubs in Chicago. Could be the start of a sequence. Either way it wasn't an accident, and until we find out more about Nica and what she was involved in, everyone should be aware."

"When are you gonna give the public statement?" Punk asked.

"Whenever I can fit it in." AJ nodded.

"We'll get to the bottom of this." Punk said, pulling up back at the station, "We always do."

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	6. Working Late Nights

**Working Late Nights**

* * *

It was a week later, and AJ was still trying to figure out what had happened to the stripper who had been murdered at the back of the strip club. She felt like they were tying up loose ends that didn't really matter, and they couldn't reach that final conclusion. Alongside trying to figure out the case, it was starting to weigh down on her that her fiancé was barely at home. Some days were harder than others, and some days after a long time spent in her office, she just wanted to come home to a sweet kiss.

She was trying her hardest to be that understanding fiancé that she'd always been, but more so than recently she'd really needed him, and he hadn't been there, and she figured that's what a marriage was built on, being there for one another.

Her medication had been upped and her doctor was worried that the stress of her work was triggering her too much, so she had made sure that she was out of the office every night for 5pm. It was a stressful job, but she loved it. She just wished it wasn't such a big trigger.

"It's Eve's birthday this weekend." Seth crept up behind Dean and Punk who were sitting at Punk's desk in the station, "I'm throwing her a surprise birthday party. I might need your help getting her there." He told them as Punk and Dean looked up at him, "What?" Seth shook his head.

"She will kill you. You know that, right?" Dean said.

"At first maybe, but I know she'll love it." Seth shrugged, "Everyone from the station is going. All her family and friends." Seth said, "It'll be great."

"And what do you want us to do?" Punk questioned, folding his arms.

"Just get her to the party. It's in a hotel, so just pretend you're taking her out for dinner or something. Get AJ's help." Seth shrugged.

"You know fine well AJ and Eve don't get on." Punk rolled his eyes, "But nice try."

"Well maybe it's best they kiss and make up." Dean smiled, "They were like best friends. What even happened?"

"I don't know." Punk shrugged. Of course he knew. AJ had told him.

"They broke into the field together, didn't they?" Seth recalled.

"I think they were at the academy together." Punk said calmly, "Anyway, Eve isn't gonna buy it. Why would me and Dean take her out to dinner?" Punk shook his head.

"Say you'll pay and she'll go anywhere." Seth said, "Trust me." He nodded, "Just do it, alright. It's not like she's a stranger."

"Fine." Punk waved his hand, "But I'm not holding her back when she tries to choke you out for throwing her a party." Punk shook his head as Seth just muttered under his breath and walked away.

"He's only been dating her for five years and he still doesn't know what she'd want." Dean shook his head.

"Wouldn't be the first time she'd swung for him." Punk shrugged, "Might be funny."

"Oh, it will be" Dean said as AJ walked out of her office and over to Punk.

"Punk, can I talk to you for a second?" AJ asked him.

"Sure." Punk nodded, getting out of his chair and heading to her office with her, closing the door behind him and watching her as she walked around her desk and sat down on her office chair, "So, what's up?" Punk put his hands on his hips.

"I can't get a lead on anything." AJ said, "This girl has no family here. She has no friends beside the strippers she worked with and they've all spoke to us and told us everything they know." AJ shook her head, "There's nothing to go on." She sighed, massaging her temples.

Punk knew how she worked. She'd lock herself in her office all day, and surely enough, most often than not, she'd manage to piece things together. She was like a criminal mastermind. But sometimes she found more cases challenging, and that's when they thrived together as partners.

"Alright, run through it with me, everything we know so far." He nodded, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her as she spaced all of the files out to do with the case.

They spoke for around an hour in her office about different scenarios and possibilities, trying to piece anything that made sense together, but sometimes they were stuck for answers, and it wasn't all that simple.

"This is a nightmare." AJ sighed, collapsing back on her office chair, "The girl is completely isolated-"

"Unless our killer didn't know her to begin with." Punk shrugged, "That seems more likely."

"But why?" AJ asked, more so herself than Punk.

"How many murders have happened in your eight years of being here, where the killer hasn't had any sort of motive to kill just for the pure… thrill of it." Punk said with disgust, "People are evil. We know that. Maybe it was a customer. Maybe it was a local customer who wanted more than a strip tease… I don't know." Punk said.

"Maybe." AJ agreed, "Do you think there's anyway that we could get a list of all the people who had gone to the club that night?" She asked.

"We already asked. The manager told us he didn't take names down."

"Ok, but what about credit cards that were used in the club for drinks?" AJ asked as he nodded. She always had to be that one step ahead.

"What if our killer used cash? Or didn't buy a drink?" Punk asked. They had originally asked the other girls at the strip club to describe what Nica's customers looked like the night she was killed, but they all told them that they weren't paying that close attention.

"Well maybe he did but right now this is all I've got to work with." AJ shrugged, "Better idea?" She asked him as he shook his head and backed off, "C'mon, let's go." She stood up, grabbing her coat as Punk stayed seated, "Phil." AJ said seriously.

"AJ, it's 8pm. What happened to you finishing at 5pm every day?" Punk asked her.

"I have things to do." AJ shook her head.

"You also have a full station of police officers." Punk said, "I'll send Seth and Dean out on it."

"This is my case." AJ said possessively as Punk stood up.

"And you can pick it all up in the morning." Punk told her as she folded her arms, "Don't go in a bad mood with me like a kid." Punk shook his head, "You've been here since 7am. I'm tired just looking at you." He said as she sighed, "Let me give you a ride home." He insisted as she nodded. He was perhaps the only person in the world that could ever convince her to do something else from what her mind was telling her. Well, him and her sister. But she wasn't here anymore.

She got her things together and locked up her office, meeting him out in his car whilst Dean and Seth headed out to the club to get whatever transaction information they needed.

"So what else did your doctor say? You half-assed told me and then you had to go make a public announcement." Punk said, driving AJ home like he always done.

"Just that I have to be careful with my job. Stress is a huge trigger for me. For my manic and my depressive cycles. And I guess my job is pretty stressful." AJ nodded.

"Just a little bit." Punk smiled sarcastically.

"She's upped my meds and she told me that working long hours won't be helping me. I also told her about Jacob but she doesn't seem too concerned about that. She told me if I can depend on myself and love myself, then it shouldn't be a problem, which I do." AJ shrugged.

"You're still gonna miss him, though. Right?" Punk said.

"I barely even see him anymore." AJ said, "And I think… is this what marriage will be like too? Just… seeing each other once a week, if even that much." AJ shook her head.

"It's not ideal, is it?" Punk said, treading carefully and lightly.

"No, it's not." AJ said, "I don't even think he tries to do anything to… stay here. As soon as he gets called out he just leaves. He doesn't ever try and arrange for meetings to be closer to him. And I get that they're important and he can't miss them but…" AJ shook her head, "It's not fair I always moan about him to you." She admitted.

"It's ok." Punk assured her, "You have a right to feel the way you do. That's why I would never get in a relationship. I can't guarantee twenty four seven attention to anyone, and I wouldn't wanna make someone feel alone. You know how much we can get called out to different things, and how sometimes we can spend hours in the station." He said, "I get cranky too." He admitted.

"Oh, I know." AJ smiled, "Morning, noon and night."

"And of course you're a ray of sunshine the entire time." Punk smiled sarcastically.

"I am." AJ nodded proudly as he pulled up outside her apartment, "Look, I know sitting in the office for hours upon hours looking through things won't help, so why don't you come into my place and we'll go over more things." She turned to him as he laughed lightly.

"You can't help yourself, can you?" He said as she shook her head and stepped out of the car.

"Nope." She smiled, collecting her folders as he got out of the car and locked it over, following her into her apartment block. There had been countless times where he'd stayed up to all hours of the morning in her place, trying to piece together things, so it wasn't a first.

"Excuse the mess." AJ told him whilst eventually walking into her apartment as Punk walked into the literally cleanest apartment he'd ever saw.

"AJ, shut up." Punk shook his head playfully as she smiled, walking over to the fridge and grabbing two bottles of water as he sat down at the table beside her, taking out all her folders.

* * *

They spent hours analysing everything they could, thinking about anything they'd perhaps not picked up on beforehand. They'd also got a call from Seth who had the names of the transactions they'd found. Punk asked them to run the names through and see if anything out of the norm came up for them.

"I heard Eve is having a surprise birthday party this weekend." AJ said whilst running some checks on other strip clubs in town whilst Punk gulped down his third bottle of water.

"Yeah. And?" Punk said.

"Well… she doesn't like parties." AJ said bluntly.

"Try telling Seth that." Punk shook his head, "You should come." He nodded.

"No thanks." AJ said.

"AJ, she only tried to help you." Punk reminded her.

"No. I almost lost my job because of her." AJ said, "I was perfectly healthy-"

"Were you?" Punk said, "She was looking out for you. You were going through a rough patch. She didn't want you to get hurt on the field. You weren't healthy to be out there." Punk said, recalling back to when AJ was just an officer alongside the rest of them, "She would call me up crying about how hard it was to see you the way you were. She didn't know what to do." Punk said as AJ sat silently.

"She shouldn't have interfered." AJ shook her head, "I'd just slipped off the rails a little. I got back on track in no time. I trusted her enough to tell her about my illness and she was just… paranoid."

"She done what she could to look out for you." Punk said, "If you ask me, you're both being as stubborn as each other." He said as AJ rolled her eyes, "Don't roll your eyes at me, Mendez. You know I'm right."

"I won't give you that satisfaction." AJ shook her head.

"Go to the party." Punk nudged her.

"I'll be busy."

"Uh… you finish at 5pm now. No, you won't." Punk said, "I won't force you, but… if you're feeling up to it, I'd imagine Eve would be glad to see you."

"I don't think so." AJ said, scribbling down notes that only she would understand no doubt, "Have Dean and Seth got back to you?" She asked him as he looked at his phone and read the message from Dean into himself.

"He said nothing suspicious came up, apart from one guy who used his credit card had only used his credit card in the club." Punk said.

"What do you mean? He hadn't used it anywhere else besides the club?" AJ asked curiously as Punk nodded, "That's strange." AJ said, "How do they know that?"

"They must have got Rocky to hack into it." Punk said, referring to one of their gifted technicians on the force, "But hey, I think we're done for the night. What happened to… leaving work at the office?" He said, looking at the table covered in paper as she stretched and yawned.

"Tell Dean to get me everything he possibly can on this guy for tomorrow morning." AJ nodded, "I suppose I have to sleep, don't I?" She groaned.

"Yes, you do." Punk nodded, giving Dean a text and then beginning to clear up all of the papers from AJ's table whilst she trashed the empty bottles of water they'd had.

"Well thanks I guess for… helping me." AJ smiled to him, "Maybe I just… didn't wanna be here alone." She admitted as Punk turned to her and nodded.

"You should talk to him, AJ." Punk said, "It's obvious you're not happy." He said.

"I'm starting to wonder if it's me." AJ admitted truthfully, "How it's so easy for him just to leave right away? It's like he wants to leave." AJ said, "I don't think he wants me anymore." She admitted whilst looking down at the ground.

"Don't be ridiculous." Punk told her, "Who wouldn't want you?" He asked her as she looked up at him, "You're… amazing." Punk smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He wasn't lying. She was amazing. He thought she was amazing, and fascinating and beautiful. It rubbed him the wrong way that Jacob was so dismissive of her, "Just… talk to him." Punk nodded to her.

"I will." AJ smiled.

"I'm gonna go." He said, "I'll catch you in the morning." He said as she smiled up at him, watching as he left her apartment as she smiled to herself. It was strange how, he made her feel good about herself, and her own fiancé couldn't.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	7. Party

**Party**

* * *

AJ wound up going to Eve's surprise birthday party at the weekend. Punk had practically begged her all week, and she knew that he was only doing it so she wouldn't be alone, since Jacob was still out of town. She didn't want to be bitter about it, and regardless of their broken friendship, she'd even gone out her way and bought Eve a present that she knew she would like.

She got to the hotel where the party was in and immediately found her way over to Punk and Dean who were sitting with other women from the force, of course.

"Fashionably late, as usual." Punk said over the music as AJ took her coat off and sat it on the chair beside her. He hadn't taken a proper look at her, and when he did he gulped to himself. She was breathtakingly gorgeous. And sometimes he hated himself for thinking that since they were good friends, but he couldn't help it. She was dressed in a simple black and white dress. Her hair was full and curled, and the little amount of make-up she had on was enough to make her glow. He quickly snapped out of it and looked on at the gift bag she had brought with her.

"What'd do you get her?" Punk asked, "I just put money in a card." He shrugged.

"None of your business what I got her." AJ said, "But you can give her it." She slid the bag over.

"Why can't you?" Punk asked with confusion.

"Well I only came here to show face. I haven't spoken to her in… a long time." AJ said.

"Well then maybe it's time to bury the hatchet." He said as AJ ignored him, "You heard anything from the station tonight?" He asked her.

"No." AJ said, "He still wants a lawyer. He's not saying anything." AJ shrugged, referring to the man they had arrested for the murder of Nica. There were plenty suspicions around him, and his fight to keep quiet was worth taking notice of too.

"Well let him have his lawyer." Punk scoffed, "There's no escaping the truth."

"He might. There's no hard evidence." AJ said.

"When you follow your gut, you're always right." Punk said.

"Well here's hoping." AJ nodded.

"You want a drink?" Punk asked her, standing up to get the next round of drinks in.

"Just a water, please." AJ smiled up at him as he nodded, walking off as AJ sat back on her chair. The place was basically just filled with police officers. She did however see a section of people who she knew were Eve's family.

She got up, figuring her drink would be a while as she saw Punk over charming with the waitress behind the bar, heading to use the restroom.

Once she'd got out she stood at the sinks, washing her hands and drying them when her phone suddenly began to ring. She took her phone out of her purse and answered it once she saw it was Jacob.

"Hey." AJ smiled, "How are you?" She asked.

"Babe, I am exhausted. I just got into my hotel." He spoke through the phone, "This week has just been non-stop, but I'm finally finishing up tomorrow." He said as AJ smiled.

"And then you're home?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, I'll be home." Jacob said, "For a few days hopefully." He said as AJ's smile faded a little, "What are you up to?" He asked, hearing the music in the background and wondering.

"I'm at a party." AJ said, "Eve's."

"Eve… Torres?" Jacob asked, "I thought you two didn't get on anymore." He said.

"We don't." AJ said, "But I wanted to show face. The rest of the force are here so I figured why not."

"You're not normally up to parties." Jacob said.

"I know. I guess tonight I felt like… why not… I have nothing better to do." AJ shrugged as she heard the restroom door open, turning around as she saw Eve walk in and pause for a moment, "Listen, babe I eh… I gotta go." AJ said.

"You're still on your meds right?" Jacob asked degradingly as AJ silently sighed.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm on them." AJ said, watching as Eve walked into a cubicle and locked it over, "I'm fine."

"I know you will be. Room full of cops. No safer place for you." Jacob laughed a little, under the illusion that the only way AJ was safe was because of the people she worked with. He'd never gave her the credit that she deserved for the job she done. He never believed she could protect herself, which she most definitely could.

"I'll talk to you later, ok?" AJ said, "I love you." She said.

"Love you too." Jacob replied, hanging up as AJ placed her phone back in her purse, watching as Eve came out of the cubicle she was in.

There was an awkward silence. Neither knew what to say, and both were too stubborn to say the first word, but AJ decided to be the bigger person.

"I guess… a happy birthday is in order." AJ turned to her as Eve dried her hands with a paper towel, looking on at AJ and nodding.

"Thanks." Eve pushed a small smile, "I didn't think… well, I didn't think you'd come."

"Me neither." AJ admitted.

"Punk forced you into it?" Eve folded her arms.

"A little but… I made the decision to come." AJ said, "We're grown women. Surely we can be civil." AJ nodded.

"AJ, I only wanted to look after you." Eve said, "You weren't well for a long time."

"And I got better." AJ snapped a little, "You didn't have to tell any higher ups. They were gonna let me go."

"Well I didn't know what to do." Eve defended, "I didn't wanna see my best friend hurt like that."

"I was just going through a rough patch." AJ said, "I trusted you enough to tell you about my bipolar, because I thought you wouldn't say anything."

"I was worried about you." Eve said, "I was scared you'd be a danger to yourself or others out on the field. Punk was busy with his family at the time and it was like you just… lost it." AJ shook her head.

"I just needed some time." AJ said, "To get myself together." She looked down at the ground.

"No. You needed to stop looking at your sister's murder case." Eve said as AJ looked up at her.

"How did you-"

"I was your best friend." Eve said, "Remember?" She said, "I knew what you were doing." She said.

"Well I had some… free time on my hands." AJ said.

"And look where it got you." Eve said, "Look, it's pointless bickering about it now. We've both moved on, clearly. You're a frickin' detective now. That's pretty cool." Eve nodded as AJ smiled a little, "And you're engaged which is great. I'm happy with my job and I have Seth." Eve said, "Things might not be the same but can we at least just be civil?" She asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "I think we can." She nodded. She knew that she was going through a tough time a few years ago. Punk had taken some paid leave and she wandered to her sister's murder case which had her completely triggered her. Eve was only looking out for her, AJ realised that more so now, but she still was mad about almost losing her job. But she understood Eve was in a difficult position, "Enjoy your night." AJ smiled before Eve left.

"Yeah, you too." Eve nodded, leaving the restroom as AJ followed after.

* * *

After the party was over and the guests had all left, Eve had gotten into a cab with Seth, a little bit tipsy but not overly drunk. Her parents had helped her out and took any gifts she had gotten home with them, bar one that Seth had held onto.

"Here, AJ gave me this to give to you." Seth said, in the back seat of the cab with Eve as she took the gift bag from him slowly.

Eve dug inside the bag and took out the globe that was inside it with a picture of them both. It was an old picture, one of them when they were practically kids in the academy. AJ knew how much she loved globes, and the present was touching, maybe more so that she was a little tipsy. There was also a voucher in the card too.

"Any food in there?" Seth questioned, leaning over to look in the bag.

"No." Eve smiled, shaking the glob with a smile as she looked at the picture, "No food." She shook her head, tiredly leaning against him in the back of the cab whilst watching the globe closely.

* * *

"I bet you're glad you went now." Punk said, having walked AJ home since he didn't bother taking his car. AJ insisted he didn't have to but she knew there was no point in arguing with him.

"Yeah, I am actually." AJ smiled as they got close to her apartment block, "I spoke to Eve and… I think we're gonna be ok." AJ nodded, "Civil, at least."

"Good." Punk nodded, "I'm glad. You two were close as hell and… she really only had good intentions."

"A part of me knows that." AJ nodded, "I'm just stubborn, you know that. And I… I'm very picky of who I share private stuff with. I thought she had tarnished that but… now I realise she was just trying to help." AJ shrugged.

"Well hey, let bygones be bygones." Punk nudged her as she smiled, "When is Jacob home?" He had to ask.

"Tomorrow night I think. He's finishing up with his client and then hopefully he'll have a few days." AJ said.

"Yeah and how often does that happen?" Punk shook his head as she looked up at him, "I'm sorry. I just… I don't know how it doesn't phase him." He said, "If I had a fiancé, and I saw her once a week, if that… I'd be questioning a whole lot." He admitted as AJ gulped.

"Well thank you for the heads up." AJ laughed as he turned to her.

"It's just my opinion." Punk said. He wished he could have said to AJ that he thought Jacob was a jerk for the way he just neglected AJ. It was a two-way street. AJ had a high profiled job just like he did, yet she still managed to do her best to see him. He didn't think it was fair, and a woman like AJ deserved better.

"I want to marry him." AJ nodded, "And I do think he wants to marry me." AJ said, "But I just don't wanna be unhappily married and just… partners for the sake of it." AJ shrugged.

"You gonna talk to him?" Punk asked her.

"Nothing changes when I bring it up." AJ said, "We talk about it. He tells me how important his job is. Then asks me if I've been taking my meds and going to the doctor. Then he'll tell me he loves me and I'll just… believe it and shut up I guess." AJ said.

"Not like you to shut up." Punk said playfully as she smiled, "AJ." Punk paused outside of her apartment block as she turned into him, "Is this the guy you wanna spend the rest of your life with?" He asked her seriously.

"Of-Of course it is." AJ said hesitantly, "Why would you even ask that?" She laughed a little, "He's not here much but when he is he's great-"

"Great? As in, asks you if you're taking your pills to shrink you?" Punk asked.

"Shrink me?" AJ made a face, "He doesn't shrink me. Do you honestly think I would let a man shrink me."

"I'm just looking out for you." Punk put his hands up.

"You don't know what it takes to try and work at something." AJ told him up straight, "Like a relationship." She hissed.

"You're right, I don't. That's why I avoid them." Punk nodded, "I'm saying this because I think you deserve much better than him."

"Jacob is a good guy." AJ said with confidence.

"Sometimes just good isn't enough." Punk shrugged, "I'm not trying to upset you… I just want you to think about what it is you really want here. Are you just holding onto him for the sake of being in a relationship?" He asked as she gasped taken offence.

"Don't portray me as some needy, desperate woman who can't support herself." AJ warned him, "You just let me worry about my relationship. It's none of your business."

"It is when you talk to me about it every morning in the car." Punk said as AJ looked up at him and gulped. She supposed he was right, but it was hard for her to ever admit that anyone was right besides her, "I'm not trying to hurt you." Punk said.

"I know." AJ looked down at the ground, sighing deeply, "But I want it to work, Punk." AJ looked up at him as he stood close in front of her.

"There are plenty of other guys out there, April." Punk said, "Guys who will be there for you, whenever you need them. Any guy would be lucky to have you… I don't think… I don't think Jacob realises what he has." He said truthfully as she looked up into his mysterious eyes.

"You realise what he has?" AJ whispered as Punk looked down at her, watching her bite her lip as she inched closer to him.

AJ didn't know what had come over her. Punk was always an attractive man in her eyes, and she always knew there was a sense of possessiveness she had towards him, but she'd never thought about him in a sexual context. She didn't know if it was the party vibes that she'd come out of, or if she just realised that he was always there for her. There was nothing more attractive than that.

She leaned up on her tip toes, placing her hand at his neck, about to kiss him when he backed away and looked at her like she was headless.

"What… What are you doing?" Punk shook his head as AJ gulped, placing her hand over her mouth and shaking her head.

"I uh… I didn't mean that." AJ said, coming to her senses. She wasn't a cheat and she never would be, so to attempt something like that was so out of her character, but maybe she'd had enough, maybe she'd forgotten what it felt like to be appreciated, and feel special like Punk managed to do, "I have to go." AJ shook her head with embarrassment.

"AJ, wait." Punk said but she had already briskly walked into her apartment block, leaving him standing outside with confusion.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	8. The Talk

**The Talk**

* * *

The next morning Punk was at his desk having had pretty much no sleep. All he kept thinking about was AJ. He knew that it was a moment thing that had happened. He knew it as soon as she saw the realisation sink in her face when she pulled away from him. But he didn't even know what her intentions really were. She was getting married, wasn't she?

He watched as she got into the station, walking right by him, looking everywhere besides him whilst heading to her office, carrying her folders along with her whilst struggling to unlock the office door.

Punk stood up and headed over to her, "Let me help." He said, taking her folders from her a she still didn't make eye contact with him, opening up her office and walking on in as he followed, sitting her folders down on her desk, "You alright?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." AJ nodded bluntly, "Got a lot of work to do." She said as he nodded.

"About last night…" Punk began as she eventually looked up at him.

"I lost myself for a minute." AJ assured him, "You were being nice to me and telling me all the things I wanted to hear." She shrugged, "I wasn't thinking at all." She made clear as he nodded, "I'm sorry if that made things weird for you." She said. She too hadn't slept all night. Not because she tried to kiss him. But because she wanted to kiss him.

"It didn't." Punk said, "Nothing has changed." He assured her, "I just want you to think about what you were saying last night… about Jacob." Punk said, "Is it really what you want?"

"I know." AJ said, "His flight gets in tonight. I'm gonna have a chat with him about it. A serious one." AJ said.

"Good." Punk smiled, "I hope it goes well." He nodded, "You got your work to do, I have mine."

"Ah yes, flirting with donut girl is a massive part of your job." AJ smirked, sitting down at her desk as he shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Punk smiled bashfully. He was glad she'd jumped right back into being her normal self. He didn't want things to be awkward between them, "No, I'm tagging along with Dean today. Some petty crime down at Wicker park. We're gonna check it out." He said.

"The superheroes of Chicago." AJ smiled.

"I hate superheroes." Punk grunted.

"That's why I said it." AJ said, "Go on then. I'll be here. Drowning in work." She said, "I have a report to do and then hopefully I get word on whether or not Mr Andrews is willing to speak now that he's spoken to his lawyer." She said.

"You want me to get back for that?" Punk asked.

"No, it's alright." AJ waved her hand, "You go have fun with your friends." She said playfully.

"I will." Punk said, "Be careful in here. More frightening in here than it is outside sometimes." He nodded, and she knew what he meant by that and smiled, watching as he left the office and shut the door over.

She took a deep breath and sat back against her chair. She was looking at him a little differently now. Not lusting after him by any means, but it had occurred to her that he was a terrific shoulder to cry on, without the crying, and she wouldn't tell him, but he made her laugh more than anyone else, including her fiancé. She didn't really know what to do. She wanted to marry Jacob. She loved him. But she was just a little confused at the minute.

* * *

Once AJ was finished up with work, having had a pretty productive day catching up on reports and also finally getting Nica's potential killer to speak up, she headed home where her fiancé was already there.

"Hey." AJ smiled cheerfully, sitting her things down as she walked over to her fiancé who was in the kitchen cooking, wrapping her arms around him.

"Hey, you." Jacob smiled, squeezing her tightly, "I am making your favourite pasta. I've been away a lot and I want to make it up to you." He said as AJ smiled.

"Smells great." AJ smiled whilst taking her coat off, "I was actually hoping we could have a talk." She admitted whilst taking a seat at the table whilst Jacob joined her with dinner.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting across from her, "Is it your job? Your illness?" He asked, of course automatically thinking it was her that would be the problem.

"No… no, it's not about me." AJ said as he stroke a look of concern to her, "You're away a lot, Jacob. I think it's getting worse." She admitted as he put his fork down and sighed, "And I know I sound like a broken record, I get it. But if we're gonna be married, I want to have a marriage with you. That means… waking up together every morning, going to bed every night together." She said, "I want our marriage to be great-"

"It will be." Jacob said, "Sometimes my work is hectic, I get it. I'd rather be here with you, trust me." He nodded, "But it's my job and it's what I love doing, and it's a commitment I have."

"I understand that." AJ said, "But… isn't there some way that you could work more local? I get it. You're an amazing lawyer and you take work from anywhere. But I don't wanna be your wife and only get to see you once every two weeks." She shook her head, "What if we could work something out where you could work more locally? Huh?" She hinted.

"It won't work out." Jacob said, "I have to travel to get to clients." He said, "My schedule should get lighter, though. It should."

"Well then it's not gonna work." AJ shook her head as he looked across at her. She wasn't playing tonight. She wasn't tip toeing around him anymore. She was venting everything she had to say. She wanted it all out there, "I'm not getting married to you to only see you a few times a month. That's ridiculous."

"April, c'mon… we'll figure it out, baby." Jacob smiled, "Our wedding day is gonna be the best day of your life. My schedule will calm down a little and married life is gonna be so sweet for us." He nodded brightly as she looked across at him, unconvinced, "C'mon, why are you talking like this?"

"It's how I feel, Jacob." AJ said, "I deserve… I deserve more attention from you." She told him honestly, "I don't see you, and then when you're home we barely do anything because you're so tired, or you're still working." She said, "And it's not what I want."

"So what are you saying?" Jacob asked.

"I'm saying either we… we sort this out right now. Or… I don't know." AJ shrugged.

"We've been together for a long time, April. And now my job suddenly bothers you?"

"You were just starting off when I met you." AJ shook her head, "We were together more and we were… happier." AJ said, "Don't pretend it's not true." She said.

"And what? You're not happy now?" Jacob asked.

"Not like I was when we first met." AJ said, "I wanna figure this out, Jacob. I don't give up on things. You know that fine well."

"April, what do you want me to do? Quit my job for you?" Jacob asked, beginning to get a little annoyed.

"I want you to tell me that you'll do something… anything, even if it's just speaking to someone, about getting a schedule that's more local and fitting for us to work around."

"Well, April… the world doesn't revolve around you. I can't schedule my entire job around you." He told her.

"I'm not asking you to-"

"You are." Jacob stood up, "Sometimes I wonder why I even bother coming home when this is all I get." He shook his head.

"Jacob, don't be like that." AJ stood up, watching him walk off to the sitting area across the room, "I'm saying this because I don't want us to become distant. I miss you. Is that such a bad thing?" She walked over to him.

"You're supposed to support me." Jacob said.

"I do support you!" AJ said, "I always have. But there are times here when I need you, and you're not here."

"Your sister has been dead for over ten years. You'd think you'd have gotten used to it by now." Jacob said harshly as AJ stepped back a little and folded her arms, watching him bury his head, "I didn't mean that." He said immediately, "I never meant to say that. I'm sorry." He looked up at her.

"Look at us." AJ said, "We never see each other and when we do… this is what happens." AJ said, "There's no spark there anymore." She said, "And it's like you don't even wanna try."

"We still have a spark." Jacob said, "I still feel it. I love you. And I want us to work at this." He said truthfully, "But I can't promise you that I'll change my work life because I can't. I mean… I'm not asking you to sacrifice anything in your career."

"Because my career is local and I still sleep in my own bed every night." She said, "Alone, might I add."

"You've got plenty of friends here." Jacob argued, "It's not like you're alone."

"Yeah, and my friends are there for me more than you." AJ said, "Doesn't that bother you?"

"Oh, April. I'm tired." Jacob shook his head, "I'm fed up of this."

"Well what is the point then?" AJ asked him, "What's the point in trying anymore?"

"You're really asking that?" Jacob asked.

"I think you should ask yourself it." AJ said as Jacob just shook his head.

"I'm going to bed." Jacob said, "Hopefully you'll forget about this overnight." He said.

She watched as he walked by her and across to their bedroom, closing the door shut as she collapsed down on the couch. She'd now realised what it was she desperately didn't want to, and had been avoiding. That she no longer had that spark with her fiancé, and she didn't have the motivation to do anything about it. She'd met Jacob when he was just starting out as a lawyer, and he was great, but now it seemed like his job was taking over her role and he didn't even look bothered that she was genuinely upset about it all. She didn't really know what to do…

* * *

Punk was lying up on his sofa watching some sports highlights from the week when there was a knock at his front door. It wasn't like him to get visitors, so he was curious and practically sprinted to the door, opening it up and looking on at AJ standing with her hands in her coat pockets.

"Hi." Punk said with confusion, letting her in of course as she stepped into his house, seeing the light shine on her eventually as he noticed her eyes red and puffy, "Oh, Ape." Punk sighed sadly, "What happened?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder and guiding her into the living room.

"Nothing." AJ laughed sadly, "Nothing happened, like usual."

"What'd he say to you?" Punk asked as she sat down on the sofa.

"He made a dig at my sister." AJ said, which was the most memorable and hurtful thing that kept coming to her mind, "He basically said that he couldn't work closer to home and that was it. There was no attempt at even considering it for him." AJ shook her head as Punk sat down beside her.

"Why'd you come here?" He had to ask.

"Well he just stormed off to bed and I just needed fresh air." She turned to him, "And a friend." She nodded as he wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her, "I also haven't ate dinner." She sighed.

"Ok, sit right there. I'm gonna make you my speciality." He stood up as she smiled.

"A grilled cheese sandwich?" AJ smiled as he nodded, watching him walk off to the kitchen as she sat back on his couch. She was upset tonight and she hated feeling upset. She felt like her relationship was coming to a close, and it was hard considering it was something she always thought was a massive positive in her life.

Punk came back eventually with a grilled cheese for her as well as packet of chips and a can of soda. They stayed up for most of the night talking and watching the end of Slapshot which made AJ chuckle.

Punk noticed soon after the credits started rolling at the end however, that she'd fallen asleep beside him, bag of chips in hand, temple of her head on his shoulder as he smiled down at her. He hated to see her upset. But he hated one other thing a little bit more, and that was how Jacob was treating her. If he ever had a woman as good, smart, strong and gorgeous as AJ was, he would have done anything to make it work. Jacob had no idea what he had. He really didn't.

"Ok." Punk mumbled to himself as he stood up, being as quiet as he possibly could be, taking the chips from her hand and sitting them on the coffee table as he laid her down on the couch, grabbing a blanket from across the other couch and shaking it out over her.

There were times that she'd really been there for him. He'd always be there for her. It just seemed strange he was there more than her fiancé was. He didn't assume things would get any better for them, and he was gonna be there for her if there was a break up in the horizon. Just like he was always there.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	9. Cheers

**Cheers**

* * *

It was a few weeks later and AJ's long-term relationship, the only relationship she'd ever really properly been in, was coming to an end. It was so much easier not to say anything, and to just go along doing her usual thing, seeing her fiancé once every two weeks, but that's not what she wanted, and he couldn't do anything or… he couldn't even attempt to do anything to compromise. Maybe it looked like she was being selfish, but if this was someone she was going to spend the rest of her life with, she couldn't understand why'd they'd lost their spark. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be, and she had to tell her that.

The apartment was hers, and she told Jacob he could take his time trying to find another place to stay. The break up seemed almost a little too easy for him, which also hurt her feelings. If he was so in love with her like he claimed, he would have fought for her, but he just accepted it and agreed to get his own place as soon as he could.

It wasn't easy for AJ. She didn't like failing much things in her life which is why she found her job so difficult sometimes. It was the same in her personal life. She was willing to try and fix their broken relationship, but he just didn't have it in him, and that's why she decided it was best they split. To her, marriage was for life, and she didn't want to have a broken marriage.

But she carried on with life like she always did. Headed to work, paid her bills, enjoyed her friends' company. She knew that as long as she always had herself, her sanity, and she could love herself first, she'd do just fine as a single woman.

"You didn't have to come with me for this." AJ told Punk as they walked into the hospital.

"I wanted to." Punk told her as they approached the front desk.

AJ raised her badge, "I'm looking to speak to Miss Harriet Pearce." AJ said.

"Third floor. Room twenty-five." The receptionist smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded as they headed down the hospital corridor to catch the elevator, "I hope you don't think you have to babysit me just because my relationship is over. I'm not nineteen. Life goes on." She told him bluntly, but he knew this was hurting her.

"I'm not babysitting you." Punk scoffed, "I just wanna make sure you're ok." He said.

"I'm fine." AJ said as they stood in the elevator together in silence as it took them up to their designated floor, "Let's just be as comforting to this woman as we can be." She said, stepping out of the elevator and walking down the corridor to the room they were looking for.

AJ walked in first whilst Punk followed behind, closing the door behind them as the woman lying in bed, hooked to machines looked up at them both. She still seemed drowsy but she was very much aware of who they were and why they were here.

"Harriet?" AJ questioned as the young woman nodded, "I'm Detective Mendez." She inched closer to the bed, pulling out a chair as Punk did the same.

"Officer Brooks." Punk nodded to her, "We're just here to ask you a few questions about your attack." He said softly, "If it's too much then let us know. We know you're in a great deal of pain." He said as the woman nodded.

There had been another stabbing, only this time the victim had survived unlike Nica, whose case still hadn't been cleared up yet. AJ was thinking there could possibly have been a linkage.

"It's gonna be ok." AJ nodded, reaching over and placing her hand atop of the woman's. Sometimes they did have to be cold and shut off, but only because of what their job consisted of. But other times they had to be as soft as ever. She seemed to be better at that than Punk.

* * *

They spent some time at the hospital talking to Harriet and gathering any information that they could on what her attacker looked like. It was interesting for her to mention that she used to work at The Red Moon strip club, which immediately tied some sort of link in AJ's mind.

"We gotta discharge Andrews then, don't we?" Punk asked as he drove back to the station with AJ.

"Not yet." AJ shook her head, "We don't know for definite if the cases are linked. Just… give me some time." AJ put her hand up as he nodded, "Think of the description she gave us. She said she never got the face but he was kinda short and stocky." AJ said, "And she said she felt like she was being followed, so the guy was obviously out to get her." She said as Punk nodded.

"We're not just gonna figure out who it is with that information. Could be anyone." Punk said.

"I know but sometimes people go out of their way to know you just to clear their name." AJ told him as he nodded, "Wait a minute." AJ paused.

"What?" Punk said worriedly whilst focusing on the road.

"Go to the strip club." AJ nodded.

"Why?" Punk shook his head.

"I think I know who done it." She turned to him.

Punk drove to the strip club, both of the getting out of the car once he pulled up, walking straight into the club which hadn't opened yet.

AJ walked through to the back, bursting into the office where Gerry, the manager sat behind his desk, startled by their appearance as AJ looked at him closely.

"Mind if we take a look around?" AJ smiled to him.

"What are you doing here?" Gerry stood up as Punk watched AJ closely.

"What? Something to hide?" AJ asked him, walking to his desk, "Out of my way." She pushed him away on his office chair that rolled to the side as AJ began to open the drawers of his desk. But she wasn't opening then closing them, she was pulling them right out of the hinges and onto the floor as things smashed everywhere, but Punk knew this was the method to her madness.

AJ scrambled at everything, getting to the bottom drawers and pulling them out when she saw a knife covered up in a towel, looking down at it and back up at Gerry who gulped.

AJ picked the knife up using the towel, showing it to Punk who whipped out his handcuffs from his back pocket.

* * *

"How'd you figure it was him?" Punk asked AJ later that night, sitting outside her apartment block where Punk was dropping her off after a very successful day.

"I remembered how forward he was with us when we showed up at the beginning when Nica was found." AJ said, "He was almost too calm but I guess I forgot about it. The CCTV being conveniently broken at the time… well, we shouldn't have been so dumb then." AJ admitted, "Finding out why he done it is gonna be the interesting part." She said.

"Well good work, kid." Punk nodded, "Can always count on you to wrap things up." He smiled as she nodded.

"That's about the only good thing going for me right now." She smiled to herself.

"Hey, don't be like that." Punk sighed, "I know… I know you loved Jacob and I know it's hurting you. You've been with him for a long time now." He said, "But… maybe it just wasn't supposed to be." Punk said as she nodded.

"I have to tell myself that otherwise I'll find a way to blame myself." AJ said.

"Blame yourself for what? He didn't wanna commit to you. That was on him." Punk said, "It's better for you both to just accept it and move on."

"That's the thing… it's like he's totally fine with it." AJ said, "He didn't even flinch when I said that I wanted to break up. He barely said anything. No fight. No nothing." AJ shook her head, "Was he waiting on it? Did he want me to break up with him?" AJ sighed.

"I can't answer that but someone is gonna come along." He nodded as she smiled up to him, "Someone who will pay much better attention to you, and appreciate you. Way more than Jacob did." He said, "Some people fall out of love, and that's ok. It's better now than… in ten years when you're married with kids." He said as she nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I know." AJ said, "I'm glad things are at least civil." AJ shrugged.

"Yeah, it'll make a difference." Punk nodded, "I don't have to say it but… I'm here if you need me. Whether it's at work or if… you need a grilled cheese at 1am." He said as she smiled, "I got you."

"Thank you." AJ whispered, "I guess I just… wanted to show my mom that you can be bipolar and still have a life. A good job. A marriage." AJ said, "She thinks it's some… untreatable illness that ruins every good thing there could ever be in life." She shook her head.

"Who cares what your mom thinks." Punk scoffed, "Focus on you. That's all that matters." He said. He knew she had a tough relationship with her mom, and always had done since she was born. That's what they first bonded over when they met. Their lack of motherly figures in their life.

"How is your mom?" AJ questioned. She used to think she was the only person in the whole entire world with an irresponsible, unreliable, stubborn and selfish mother, but then she met him.

"Don't know. Don't care. Don't talk to her." Punk shrugged.

"Moms, huh?" AJ smiled, "I suppose I have to get home and eat, don't I?" She asked tiredly, "I might order in." She spoke to herself as he smiled, "You hungry?" She turned to him.

"Starving." He nodded.

"Pizza?" AJ smiled.

"Only if you're buying." Punk nodded as she smiled, both of them getting out of the car as they headed into her apartment.

* * *

"I swear that was not my fault." AJ chuckled, sitting at her kitchen table with Punk as they had made their way through a pizza whilst recalling some of their fondest memories whilst working on the force together out on the field.

"Oh, it totally was." Punk said.

"That was my first year out on the beat." AJ laughed, "You told me to take the left."

"No, I said right." Punk said, "You were just nervous." He waved his hand, "I thought back then, damn this kid isn't gonna make it here and now look at you." He said as she smirked.

"I just needed to familiarise myself." She said, throwing her last crust down on the pizza box, wiping her hands on the napkins. It had always been the same, this wasn't her just noticing, but she always felt comfortable with him. Comfortable to pig out on a pizza and ugly laugh with him about some of the stupidest things she'd ever done. Come to think about it, she could never feel that way with Jacob.

"That was good." Punk nodded after finishing his last slice, "Why don't you eat your crusts?" He laughed.

"I never have. Gabrielle used to always eat them for me." AJ smiled, "I hated them but I wanted curly hair of course, so she said she'd eat them for me, and I'd still get curly hair." She smiled to herself as Punk laughed lightly.

"Sounds like a great sister." Punk smiled.

"She was." AJ nodded, placing her napkin down, "She would have loved you." She smiled, "Same sense of humour." She said as Punk smiled, "Anyway… cheers." She raised her grape soda as he laughed a little.

"To what?" Punk asked, taking his can of Pepsi.

"To burying that case today." She smiled.

"That was all you, Holmes." Punk said, nevertheless knocking his soda against hers as she smiled, "It's good to get some justice."

"Best feeling in the world." AJ smiled just as she heard the door open.

Punk looked up and watched as Jacob walked around the corner. He seemed surprised to see him, but then he brushed it off.

"Hey, Phil. What's up?" Jacob nodded. Punk had never had any sort of run ins with Jacob. From his point of view, he was always a stand-up guy, but Punk was protective over AJ and he was on her side for this.

"Hey, man." Punk nodded briefly.

"Everything ok?" AJ turned to Jacob who was observing the scene, "We were um… just celebrating burying a case today." AJ nodded.

"Good for you guys." Jacob nodded sincerely, "I was just swinging by to pick up more stuff. I've found a place so… I should be out your hair in a few days… at the most." He said whilst Punk just buried his head, minding his own business.

"O-Ok." AJ nodded, "Do you need help with anything?" AJ asked sweetly. She didn't want to leave things on bad terms with him. He wasn't a bad person. She knew what bad people were like. And he wasn't one of them. Things just didn't work out.

"No, you're alright." Jacob nodded, "I won't be long." He told her, wandering into the bedroom to start collecting more of his things as AJ turned back to Punk and sighed, making an awkward face to him.

"I can go if you like." Punk said.

"No, don't be stupid." AJ shook her head, "He likes you. He always has." AJ smiled.

"I know but… I don't wanna be in the middle-"

"In the middle of what?" AJ asked, "It's over with me and him. There's nothing to be in the middle of." AJ said, "It's time I just… learn to move on." She said.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think.**


	10. The Jigsaw Puzzle

**The Jigsaw Puzzle**

* * *

A week later and Jacob had officially moved out into a place of his own. AJ was, in a sense, glad since she could now try and move on with her life as best as she could. Jacob had been a big part of her life for many years, and it was strange to be single again, but it wasn't getting her down like she thought it would, which would be a plus.

Whilst she was still tying up things with Nica's case, as well as the stabbing that also happened to the woman they visited in hospital, Punk was doing every day cop duties with Dean.

"Here." Dean said, getting back into the cop car and passing over a coffee to Punk as he had gone into a coffee shop to pick up their usual drinks.

"Thanks." Punk nodded, taking the coffee from him as they sat outside, waiting on someone to page them or call them about something.

"So, how is AJ?" Dean asked, sitting his coffee in the cup holder in the car, "Is she taking the break-up well?"

"I think so." Punk nodded, "It's not like she's crying or… she's not coming into work. She's just getting on with it." He said.

"Shows how selfish guys can be, right? Dean shook his head, "He had a good woman in AJ. Smart and gorgeous." Dean said, "Big mistake for him to pick his career over her."

"Well we can't judge anyone." Punk said, "They're civil. I think that's helping AJ out a lot." He said as Dean nodded.

"Makes the world of difference when you're not throwing everything but the kitchen sink at each other." Dean nodded, "Someone else will come along. She's a pretty girl." Dean waved his hand, "A little intimidating sometimes I guess."

"What do you mean?" Punk turned to him.

"Well she's smarter than you and I combined. Probably. Guys might not like that their girl is repping a high-profile job whilst they're like… a sales manager." Dean shrugged.

"Nothing wrong with being a sales manager." Punk shrugged, "It's not about the job. It's about her as a person. She's still just a human being. Whether she's smart or not." Punk said, "I think that's what Jacob was missing out on." He said as Dean nodded.

"You never liked him anyway." Dean smirked a little.

"I didn't not like him. I just thought he was a douche for the way he just upped and left AJ every odd week. I mean he made no effort with her. I wouldn't have said that to her face but… he was just a guy who saw his opportunity at securing marriage and he took it." Punk shook his head.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Dean nodded, "Well more power to her. She'll be fine." Dean shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Yeah. She'll be fine." Punk agreed. He knew she would be.

* * *

After Punk and Dean had been out on the beat for the most of the day, they had returned back to the station where Punk headed to AJ's office. He hadn't saw her all day, and to him that was fairly strange. He'd spent the past eight years seeing her almost every day. There was something great yet terrifying about that. Terrifying because he figured at some point down the line, he wouldn't get to see her every day. Which was a horrible thought.

Believe it or not, he was still thinking about that night when she tried to kiss him. He didn't overthink it and spend every second of his day replaying it over in his head, but he did think about what would have happened if he kissed her, and then he realised he wanted to kiss her, which had never occurred to him until now. Yeah, he'd always found her attractive, inside and out, but it was always a brother and sister relationship they had shared. He didn't know if it was wrong for him to feel attracted to her this way, but it was happening.

"Hey, you heading home? I was just about to leave." Punk said as she nodded.

"Yeah. Let me just grab my things." She said.

"I'll meet you in the car." Punk nodded.

"Wait, Punk." AJ said as Punk turned back around, standing in her office, "This is… this is ridiculous but… I have a delivery at home. It's-It's a new dresser." She said as Punk raised his eyebrows with confusion, "I'm no handy man." She shrugged as he caught on.

"And you think I am?" Punk laughed a little.

"I know you are." AJ smiled, "I just need some help. Jacob would normally do it so." She shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, ok. Ok." Punk nodded feverishly, "I'm not the on call handy man now, though." He warned as she grinned a little, "I'm serious."

"Ok." AJ hummed, "I'll get you in the car."

* * *

"This part should clip here." Punk said to himself, sitting in the centre of AJ's living room floor, his legs in a basket whilst he tried to build her new dressers. Twice the full thing had just collapsed and dismantled, and he was ready to lose his mind.

AJ had asked him if he minded her going for a shower, which he didn't of course, so that's where she had been whilst he was sat cursing and swearing at a set of drawers. She eventually came out of her bedroom wearing leggings and a t-shirt that was too big for her, as well as having wet hair. He wasn't used to seeing her so relaxed and unprofessional. It was nice.

"How you getting on?" AJ couldn't help smile whilst walking over to him, sitting down on the couch as he just shook his head, "I know you have little patience like me but… I'd end up throwing it out the window."

"I might do that." Punk looked up at her, "Why'd you need a new dresser anyway? Can't you just… put your clothes on the floor or something." He shook his head as she smiled.

"No. I can't." AJ said, "Ok, show me how to read instructions." She said, kneeling down beside him.

"April, you know how to read." Punk shook his head.

"I know but… I don't really know what order it goes in or… what different parts are. I need to learn how to do this stuff." She said as he turned to her. She had her 'I'm gonna be single for the rest of my life' head on, he could tell.

"Ok." Punk nodded, handing her over the instructions, "It goes in that order." He ran his finger down the page and back up onto the next, "But there'll be a back page where it'll show you images and names of all the different parts." He explained as she turned to the back and nodded, "Normally I set all the parts out in front of me so I can see."

"I love how organised you are." She joked as he smiled.

"And then you just start building it. The instructions will be self-explanatory usually." Punk nodded.

* * *

They sat for another hour where AJ helped Punk try and piece together the drawers, and then… they realised there was a part missing, and that explained why it had collapsed a few times. All they could do was laugh it off, and Punk got up from the floor and collapsed on the couch.

"You've ruined my night." Punk said as AJ laughed.

"No. Ikea ruined your night." AJ smiled, standing up and taking a seat beside him, "I'm sorry." She said whilst laughing lightly. She felt bad but couldn't help laugh. She was beginning to realise now, more so than before, that his company meant a lot to her.

"Fuck Ikea and their fucking missing parts." Punk folded his arms as AJ smiled.

"Do you want anything?" AJ asked him.

"No, I'm ok." Punk waved his hand, turning to her as he watched her sigh a little, "Miss him?" Punk asked, "I mean… I know he wasn't here much-"

"I think I just miss the idea of him." AJ admitted, "There is some joy you get out of… telling people you're engaged. That you have a fiancé." AJ nodded, "Sounds like you have life figured out." She nodded.

"Not really." Punk said as she smiled to him, "It was for the best, right? You put yourself first. He couldn't make you happy. You done nothing wrong. You'll fall in love again." He tapped her thigh friendlily as AJ looked at him. Yet again, he was here. And yeah, maybe he was here because she asked him, but the fact of the matter was that he was the only one she felt comfortable with asking to help her… with anything. Whether it was relationship advice or if it was constructing furniture. He was there, and he never needed to be, he wanted to be, and that was the best part.

Punk turned to her, watching as she looked at him intensely, and then she moved closer to him, close enough for her to lean over and kiss him. This time he wasn't gonna back away. He felt her lips press against his and suddenly their love became something more than a friendship.

AJ suddenly backed away for a second, looking in his eyes as she realised kissing him left an excitement in her body that she hadn't felt in a long time. Backing away only encouraged her to kiss him again, and this time he pressed his lips against hers, placing his hand at the back of her neck as he forcefully kissed her, leaning forward.

"W-What's happening?" AJ asked him through the kiss.

In response Punk stood up, picking her up with him and walking across to the bedroom whilst her legs wrapped around him tightly. Both could feel it. There didn't need to be an explanation of what was going on. That friendship they always had only made it more intense and exciting, and AJ suddenly realised what she needed from Jacob was something she'd always had with Punk.

Punk got to the bedroom, flicking the door shut with his foot as he pushed her recklessly against nearest wall. It all seemed like a mad rush but it felt good. So incredibly good.

He cupped her cheeks whilst kissing her against the wall, moving his mouth to her neck as he began sucking at her pulse point, running his hands through her still wet hair as she rolled her head back against the wall.

She hadn't felt sexual heat like this in so long. Her and Jacob barely even touched one another anymore, and she'd never felt so wanted like she did right now.

"You really wanna do this?" Punk asked her breathlessly whilst continuing to kiss her neck as she bit her lip and rolled her head back in response.

"Yes." AJ gasped, lifting his shirt over his head as she looked at all those glorious tattoos. She only ever had the pleasure of seeing them a few times in the Summer before, and being up close and personal with them made her stomach do butterflies. She was surprising herself at how much she wanted this.

Punk shifted her from against the wall and moved to the bed, lowering her down as he toppled over her, continuing to kiss her whilst his hands pulled her t-shirt over her head, which revealed her completely naked underneath with no bra.

He paused for a second and she immediately looked up at him. Did he not like what he saw? She knew his one-night stand records, they were normally all blonde and fake, and she was neither of those. She was terrified incase she was into this way more than him, but then she saw him smirk and felt her hands cup her breasts as she relaxed again and rolled her head back on the mattress.

He cupped her small but perky breasts and lowered his mouth down to each one, swirling his tongue around her nipples as she moaned breathlessly.

"Phil." AJ moaned, running her hand through his hair, "That feels so good." AJ said whilst he continued to tease he breasts as much as he could, until kissing down further her body, pulling down her leggings and panties where she now lay completely naked and under him. He never thought he'd ever be in this position, but now, at the time, it felt like they should have been here the entire time.

AJ propped herself up on her elbows looking down as he stared up at her. He was mysterious and charming and most of all, he really did care about her. She knew that.

He continued to stare at her, and then she realised he was waiting on some sort of approval, which he really didn't need, but she knew he was a gentleman. She desperately nodded to him as he smiled and parted her legs.

He touched her with his hands first and that was enough for her to drop from her elbows back down to the mattress, arching her back and getting lost in all of the pleasure. She then felt his tongue dip between her swollen lips and she desperately wanted to scream out but bit her lip to stop herself.

"Oh. Oh my God." AJ gasped, feeling his tongue dwell all around her most intimate area. He was hitting spots she never even knew existed, and she was so lost in all of him that she was beginning to forget where she was.

Punk knew that if things weren't supposed to go this far, then they would have stopped after their kiss, but there was fire between them both, part of him believed it was always there just waiting to be discovered, and he wanted her to feel as good as she deserved to. He wanted to be the one to take care of her for the night.

"Phil." AJ whispered, propping herself back up on her elbows, feeling him slide a finger inside her as she moaned loudly, "Fuck. Your-Your tongue feels amazing." She whispered as Punk then added a second finger inside her, which provoked AJ to whisper Spanish words to herself that he didn't understand, but which made him all the harder.

Punk continued to move his fingers in and out of her whilst flicking his tongue against her clit, until she began to get close, where he moved back up her body, his fingers still inside her, only this time moving his thumb to her clit. He wanted to watch her up close and personal as she came.

"You can let go." He whispered in her ear, kissing her neck as she moaned loudly, feeling everything rise up to the point of no return, "I wanna watch you." Punk whispered to her as she gripped his arm and came wildly in his arms, moaning out his name as she shook a little, causing him to smile.

He slid his fingers out of her, giving her a second as she rode out her intense orgasm, sucking on his fingers to taste her further as she smiled upon the gesture. He was gentle but he was rough. She couldn't describe it. It was the most intense orgasms she'd ever had, and she never thought in her wildest dreams that it'd be him who encouraged it.

"Where are the condoms?" Punk asked her, kissing her body, all around her neck and collarbone as she shut her eyes in all of the bliss.

"Top drawer." AJ told him as he reached over and opened the fresh box which lead him to believe that she probably hadn't had sex in a long time, even if she was with Jacob. But what the hell did he care. He was here now.

He undone his trousers and pushed them off with his boxers as AJ watched, eyeing his length up as he rolled the condom onto himself. He was big and she was ready to let him in.

He settled between her legs for a second, pressing his lips back against hers, trailing the kiss off to her jaw as he murmured, "You should be kissed every day." He said, making her voice hitch beneath her, "Every hour." He said, kissing back up her jaw, "Every minute." He whispered, pressing his lips back against her lips as she wrapped his arms around her neck.

"I want you." She whispered. She didn't want him to think this was just a healing method to her break-up. She wanted this. She wanted him. Even after all this time of being just friends. She wanted him like this.

"God, I want you." Punk nodded with awe, placing his hand down to his hardened member as he guided his way inside her tight walls, watching her as her eyes rolled back and her mouth gaped open, "Fuck." Punk grunted, "You feel so good." He whispered, staying paused inside her so she could adjust.

"Please." AJ moaned, looking up at him, "Please make love to me." She whispered, placing her hands at either side of his neck. There was no banter. There was no goofing around together. This was the most serious they had ever been, and they wanted this. They felt it. It was like they'd finally finished a jigsaw puzzle that they started eight years ago. They finally found the missing piece. Suddenly it all made sense.

* * *

They made love for as long as either one could hold out. AJ had never orgasmed so many times in the one night, and Punk had never been with someone that he could emotionally connect to.

They explored one another's bodies and took the time to love each other, not in the friendlily way they had been doing for eight years, but in a way that was always destined to happen. AJ couldn't remember the last time she'd ever felt this good, and healthy. It was like he was the therapy to her illness.

She was close again and Punk was almost reaching his peak. He lay behind her with her in front, holding her leg slightly up as he thrust into her from behind, occasionally reaching around and cupping her breasts, as well as kissing her neck the entire time.

AJ had never been loved quite like she had tonight. She felt taken care of completely.

"Uh… I'm gonna cum again. I'm-I'm so close." She moaned as her head was in line with his, laying on her side in front of him whilst he thrust into her hard, hitting her g-spot perfectly.

"Fuck, I'm there, baby." Punk grunted in her ear, "I'm right there." He moaned as she came first, backing into him and whispering his name over and over again as she then heard him reach his own release.

She'd never heard something so sexy before, it almost made her hungry for more. His moans were natural and loud and it only made him more attractive to her. He cupped her breasts whilst staying paused inside her, kissing her neck as she smiled to herself. She'd never been so sure about wanting something… someone before. She was just shocked it turned out to be him.

* * *

 **A/N: Lots of bumps on the road for them of course. Will it work out? REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	11. Feelings Are Complicated

**Feelings Are Complicated**

* * *

AJ woke up the next morning in her bed, turning to her side as she looked at Punk lying on his stomach, face buried into the pillow as he slept peacefully. She sat up, holding her satin sheets to her body as she looked down at him. Last night was surreal. It was everything she imagined him to be like and more, and she couldn't believe it had happened.

It didn't even feel wrong. She assumed maybe she'd wake up in the morning and be so freaked out by him in her bed, but she was glad he was here. She connected with him in ways she had never connected with any man before.

She got out of bed as Punk began to wake up, opening his eyes as he watched her get off the bed, sliding on her panties and doing her bra as he smiled to himself.

"Morning." Punk said sleepily as AJ turned around with a smile, looking on as he sat up.

"Morning." AJ smiled over her shoulder, collecting her silk dress robe that was in her dresser and putting it on, "Do you uh… do you want some breakfast?" She smiled.

"Sure." Punk smiled. He was under the impression that she was perhaps a little nervous or weary around him, and he didn't want that. He was the same guy.

AJ walked out of the bedroom whilst Punk got out of bed and slid on his boxers, running his hand over his hair as he left the bedroom and met her across at the kitchen. He never thought that he would end up sleeping with her. He didn't assume she thought it either, but the way it just happened so suddenly was almost better than any sort of build up to it. There was love and a whole lot of care between them, and it just felt right. To put it in the simplest of ways. It just felt right.

He walked further into the kitchen where she was standing making coffee already. She seemed happy, she was definitely happy last night, and that was all he wanted. He just never imagined he'd be the one making her that type of happy.

"Help yourself to whatever." AJ nodded to the fridge, "Here is some coffee." She slid over a mug.

"Thank you." Punk nodded, taking the coffee and opening it up the pack of muffins she had sitting by the fridge. He was no stranger to her home, and he wouldn't act like he was, "Want one?" He asked her as she nodded and smiled.

He took the two muffins to the table along with his coffee as she joined him, "This isn't… this isn't weird for you, is it?" AJ sat down across from him, "Because you can leave. I-I wouldn't mind." AJ said.

"It's not weird." Punk shook his head, "Do you think it's weird?"

"No." AJ shook her head, "I just… it is sort of surreal, I guess. I never thought that would have happened." She admitted, picking at the muffin as he had almost finished his.

"Me neither." Punk agreed, "I don't know… I-I'm not one to get all sensitive and stuff. You know that but… I had a good time." He said, "It wasn't awkward like it probably should have been." He said, "In fact, it was pretty great." He admitted as she smiled and looked down.

"Yeah, it was." AJ smiled, "I guess we've never talked about our relationship because… well there was never anything to talk about really." AJ said, "You've always been there for me. When I had no one. You're the only one who has continuously looked out for me and-"

"AJ, you don't have to… explain anything." Punk nodded.

"No, but I don't want you to think that I'm using you. I'm not." AJ said, "You're not just a… one night stand, Phil." She said as he looked across at her.

"I don't want you to rush into anything." Punk said, "I know we've known each other for the longest time and… yeah, we've been there for each other through shitty times but… this might not be what you want next week."

"I'm not rushing things I just want you to know that I wasn't using you." AJ said, "It just felt right." AJ shrugged as he nodded.

He agreed with her, and he was glad she was in the same mindset as him, but he didn't want her to rush into things head first. He didn't want to pressure her into anything and he most certainly didn't want to ruin anything they had going for them because they just jumped into everything head first.

"It did feel right." Punk nodded as she smiled, "But I don't wanna ruin anything we already have." He said, "Just because we got caught up so quickly." He said as her smile faded a little, "You're my friend first. I think you always will be and… I mean, we work together." He said as her smile faded and faded into nothing.

"What are you saying?" AJ asked.

"I'm saying that I had a good night with you. The best probably." He said, "But let's not put any sort of strain on our friendship and how close we are, without adding feelings into the mix." He said as she nodded in agreement.

"You think it'd be better if we just forgot about it?" She asked him.

"April, I'm not saying that." Punk assured her.

"You just can't handle any sort of… love that's given to you. Can you?" AJ stood up as Punk looked at her sadly, "I-I pour my heart out to you. I tell you I appreciate you and all you've done for me, and that finally… finally I felt like someone wanted me last night… and you wanna do nothing about that?"

"I didn't say I wanted to do nothing." Punk said, "I just don't wanna rush anything. I don't wanna ruin our friendship and regret anything."

"And is that all this? A friendship?" AJ asked him as he gulped and looked down. He just didn't want to rush anything. He felt the same as her. He felt like they'd finally found on another at the best possible time, and the connection they had was insane, but he didn't wanna ruin them both and he just wanted to play things slowly.

"I just wanna take it slow." Punk said, "Keep it on the down low." He added, watching her walk across to the kitchen counter, opening up a cupboard and taking out a white box as he saw her pop two pills into her hands, "Look, I know you. I know how much of a closed book you are and how it takes a lot for you to trust someone." He said, "So trust me, I want you." He said as she turned around to him, swallowing her pills down, "I wanted you last night and I still do. But for the sake of our jobs, and our sanity really. I think we should just… wait a bit. See how things play out."

"Get out." AJ spat.

"AJ, c'mon." Punk stood up, "I'm trying to look out for you here."

"Forget everything I said." AJ shook her head, feeling embarrassed, "Get out. I'm not gonna say it again." She said, refusing to look at him as he watched her sadly.

"Ok. Let me get my clothes." He said, heading off to her bedroom to put his clothes on whilst she ran her hands over her face. She knew where he was coming from, but a part of her wanted him to tell her how much he had been waiting for that moment between them, and how much he wanted to be with her right away. She supposed he was right. He was the one good thing in her life she didn't wanna ruin.

She stood at the kitchen, listening as her apartment door opened and closed over with him leaving. She didn't really know how to feel. But she did know one thing, neither could ignore what had gone on, and neither could ignore how great it felt to be with one another.

* * *

Later that day, AJ arrived to work first where she locked herself in her office and planned to spend the full day writing up reports. Punk arrived shortly after. He needed to vent to someone, and the one person he normally talk to, was the one person he was trying his best to avoid. So thankfully he had his two friends to turn to.

"Shut the fuck up." Seth said, standing outside the station whilst Dean smoked his cigarette, "You and Mendez?" He looked at Punk.

"Yeah, but shut up about it, yeah?" Punk told them as they nodded.

"I saw it coming." Dean shrugged, not surprised really, "You two are so alike, you know."

"I think that might be a problem now." Punk said, "Look, I really like her. I don't wanna harp on about it, you know I'm not big on feelings and emotions, but… I like her, and the night was great, you know. Best I've ever had." He admitted, "But she blew up on me this morning."

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Well she told me that it all felt right and that I was always there for her, but I suggested we just take a minute to step back. I'm worried that this isn't what she wants and she's just… upset about Jacob." Punk shrugged, "But she just freaked out. Told me to get out of her apartment. Haven't spoke since."

"But it's you and Mendez. You'll make up." Dean waved his hand.

"Now there is feelings involved though." Seth said, "That's never good."

"I know, and the last thing I want is to ruin the friendship we have." Punk sighed, "But I do wanna be with her. I guess I didn't realise just how much until last night." He admitted, running his hand over his face, "Ugh, I'm a mess." He groaned.

"So you wanna be with her, she wants to be with you… what's the problem here?" Dean questioned, "You gotta let her in, man. Don't push something good like that away." He said, "You do it all the time."

"Yeah. I know. Thanks, Dean." Punk spat, "I just want to make sure that she's sure, and she's not just… trying to get over Jacob."

"I doubt she is." Seth said, "She trusts you, probably more than she ever trusted Jacob, and if you said the connection was there then… why not move forward with it?" He asked.

"The last thing I wanna do is hurt her." Punk sighed, "And I think I already have."

"The morning after is always a strange one. It was probably a little awkward." Dean said, "Give her some time and then… talk it out." He said as Punk sighed and nodded.

He did feel like his head was spinning. He knew what he wanted with AJ. They had an extremely intimate night that expressed how they felt way more than words ever could, but this morning he just wanted her to take a minute to make sure it was what she wanted, because he didn't want to hurt her and he also didn't wanna get hurt. He wasn't used to dealing with feelings. His friends had pointed that out.

They continued to talk until AJ walked out of the station and approached them.

AJ watched as they all shut up the minute she approached them which obviously told her they were talking about her, "Once you're all finished gossiping, I need your help." She told them bluntly, not looking Punk in the eye as she walked back into the station.

"Oh my God." Punk collapsed against the wall once she disappeared as Seth and Dean laughed a little.

"Damn, I've never seen her pissed at you before." Dean said.

"She's been pissed at me before." Punk nodded, "But like you guys said, feeling complicate everything."

"You guys just needa talk about it. Sounds to me like it was just a matter of time before this happened." Dean shrugged, "You might have a good thing here." He patted Punk on the shoulder, throwing down his cigarette and stomping on it as Punk sighed, all three of them making their way back into the station.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	12. Overwhelmed

**Overwhelmed**

* * *

For most of the day AJ and Punk hadn't really spoke, they'd barely even made eye contact. Punk and Dean had been out of the station for the most part of the day trying to investigate a robbery that had gone on, whilst AJ was still in her office doing reports.

She looked up when she heard a knock on her office door, watching as Seth walked on in with some papers for her, nothing severely important but just documents that had been dropped off to her.

"These were waiting at the front desk for you." Seth said, placing down the papers on her desk as she smiled.

"Thanks, Seth." AJ nodded, watching as he waited around a little, "You ok?" He asked.

"I don't wanna get involved or anything." Seth began, "But… you know better than anyone else that Punk struggles to let people in. That's why he's never been in a proper relationship before." Seth said as AJ sat back on her chair, "I'm happy for you guys and I wanna see it work, but he just needs a little bit of time. It doesn't mean he doesn't wanna try anything." Seth said.

"Why couldn't he say that then?" AJ asked, "He knows he can talk to me."

"Feelings are involved now." Seth said, "He won't admit it, but he's scared. I know him." Seth nodded, "I think he's frightened that he ruins not only a possible relationship but the friendship you guys have too."

"He won't. Why is he under the impression that he's gonna hurt me? He's never hurt me before." AJ said.

"I don't know." Seth shrugged, "I don't wanna say much more, it's none of my business really but he's my buddy and… trust me, he really likes you… likes you likes you." Seth emphasised as AJ couldn't help smile, "Just talk to him, you know."

"I tried to this morning but he didn't give me much back." AJ said.

"I think he was overwhelmed if I'm honest." Seth laughed a little, "All this time you guys have been the best of friends and then suddenly discover there are feelings there too, and a connection?" Seth said, "Makes me feel kinda sick actually." He joked as AJ smiled, "No, but… seriously, just give him a little bit of time. He's new to this."

"I didn't… I didn't even think about him never being in a relationship before." AJ shook her head, feeling bad, but not too bad, she knew she hadn't done anything particularly wrong, she'd just maybe went in a mood for him over something that could have easily been resolved.

"Yeah, I think he's a little overwhelmed." Seth said, "But talk to him." He nodded.

"Thanks, Seth." AJ smiled as Seth nodded and left her office.

She understood taking things slow and not rushing into things, but she'd never considered that he was confused and overwhelmed with how to deal with any sort of relationship. She actually felt special to sway him enough to consider a relationship when he'd gone so long avoiding them.

* * *

Later that night there were only a few officers spotted around the station as night fell and Dean and Punk eventually arrived back at the station after a busy day. Dean split almost immediately and whilst Punk was collecting his things from his desk, he felt a light tap on his side as he turned around and saw AJ standing with her things.

"Hey." She smiled to him as he looked down at her.

"Hi." He nodded, "It's… It's 9pm, what-what are you still doing here?" He asked her.

"I was finishing off reports all day." AJ said, "Lost track of time I guess." She nodded, "And I wanted to speak to you."

"You ok?" Punk asked first of all, beginning to leave the station with her. He expected her to have just gone home earlier. He didn't think she wanted to talk to him.

"I'm ok." AJ nodded, throwing her things in the back of his car whilst getting into the passenger's side whilst he got behind the wheel, "To be honest I feel a little bit stupid."

"Why?" Punk asked as he started the engine.

"Well I guess I sort of jumped the gun this morning. No pun intended." She said, "I was… I don't know… I felt kinda high when I woke up. Some days I get like that." She informed him.

"Yeah, I know." Punk reminded her that he did know her. All of her.

"Anyway." AJ shook her head, "I finally felt like I had something good, you know. I assume you could probably tell that it's been a while since someone… even touched me." She looked up at him as he looked into her soulful eyes, "And you're my best friend which… somehow I thought would make it weird but it… it made it better." AJ nodded.

"AJ-"

"No, let me just…" She put her hand up, "I'm not rushing you. I don't wanna put any pressure on you or overwhelm you." She said immediately, "Sometimes when I get that… high feeling, my mind just explodes and that sort of happened this morning." She said, "And I know you were trying to look out for me, and it is important that we take things slow and we don't ruin anything that could potentially happen." She nodded, "And I know you're not really sure how to deal with this."

"You're right. I'm not." Punk said, "I have no fucking clue." Punk told her truthfully as she smiled a little, both of them managing to smile about it, "And it's you. I do care about you. Way more than I've ever cared about anyone. Ever." Punk said, "I just didn't wanna mess anything up and I wanted you to know right away, to clear it up." He said.

"I get that now." AJ nodded, "I mean… maybe it won't work out?" She questioned, "Who knows. But… promise me you'll always be my friend. No matter what happens between us."

"I promise." Punk smiled, "But I do want to start something new. This morning I wasn't trying to shut you down or anything like that." He said, "I guess I just didn't know what to say, and after speaking to Dean and Seth… they-they think I might have something good here." He nodded as she smiled.

"You might." AJ nodded, "I just wanted you to know that I'm not mad. In fact, I love it even more than you're doing everything to make sure we don't fall apart because of this." She said, "Adding feelings into the mix is scary, especially when we've known each other for so long."

"I think they've always been there." Punk said, "For me anyway." He admitted as she nodded.

"Yeah." AJ agreed, "I guess I was so distracted with other things." She shook her head, "But I'm so ok with just… taking it slow and seeing what happens." She nodded.

"Me too." Punk smiled, a silence falling over them until he said, "Have you ate?" He asked her.

"No." AJ shook her head.

"You wanna go… grab a burger?" He asked her as she smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. I'd like that." AJ nodded. She realised that having him confess to her about how much he wanted to dive into a relationship and be together wasn't even what she wanted. All she really wanted was assurance that he felt the same as she did, and he did, she could tell.

* * *

Punk went home first to quickly get changed into jeans and a t-shirt. AJ was fine since she was dressed in one of her work dresses with her coat. They then headed to a diner about fifteen minutes away. It was fairly quiet since it was later on, but both of them were completely starving.

"Can I have the bacon cheeseburger and a side of onion rings please." AJ asked their waiter whilst Punk smiled watching her.

"And what drink, ma'am?" The waiter asked her, having already took Punk's order which was near enough the same.

"Oh, um…" AJ looked back at the menu at the drinks list as Punk smiled watching her, "Should I get a chocolate or vanilla milkshake?" She looked across at him.

"Just order both." Punk waved his hand as AJ nodded to the waiter as Punk laughed, having not been serious but finding it amusing.

They gave the menus to the waiter who walked off whilst Punk smiled to her, "You won't even drink one." He said.

"Well you can help me out." AJ shrugged, "Uh, I'm starving." AJ said, the smell of food cooking from the kitchen was teasing her, making her stomach rumble.

"Me too." Punk nodded, "Is this like… a date?" He wondered as she smiled to herself.

"Do you want it to be a date?" She smirked across to him.

"Bit of a cheap first date." He observed.

"Hey, I would rather this than some… five-star restaurant." AJ nodded as he smiled.

"Then it's a date." Punk smiled, "I mean… you did get two milkshakes." He exaggerated.

"I know." AJ said, "Best first date ever." She smiled. She understood that she had to remember he wasn't used to dating. She wasn't really either but before Jacob she had been on a few dates.

"So, this robbery today that we checked out was ridiculous." Punk said.

"I heard. Two kids done it?" AJ asked as he nodded.

"Yeah. It's always a bad day when you gotta cuff two teenage boys." He shook his head as she nodded, watching as their waiter came back with their drinks, sitting down her two milkshakes and Punk's soda as she smiled.

"I am in my element right now." AJ admitted, taking a sip out of the chocolate milkshake and then the vanilla as he laughed.

"You're crazy." Punk smiled as she nodded.

"I know." AJ smiled. And he loved that about her. It's why he knew he could say that. She embraced her flaws and that was the sexiest thing about her in his opinion. The more the idea of an intimate relationship with her was presented, the more and more he realised just how brilliant she was. But on some level he already knew.

"How is your health?" Punk asked her as she slid the milkshakes over to the side of her.

"Good." AJ nodded positively, "I think there was a lot of negativity with my relationship with Jacob. I had a few… actually, I had a lot of depressive cycles… well, you know." AJ said, since most often than not she would let him know how she was feeling, "And obviously work has been challenging recently, I guess things have calmed down a little now."

"That's how it is, though. Up and down all the time. One minute you're solving a murder, next you're… talking to kids about crossing the road." Punk shook his head as she laughed.

"I don't do that anymore." AJ smiled, "But yeah, my health is good. But it's not perfect. Never will be. And I've accepted that." She nodded, "Makes it easier to deal with it if I accept it."

"Well… anything you need." Punk nodded.

"Nothing's changed there." AJ said, "I mean… I was seeing you way more than I was ever seeing Jacob." She said as he nodded, "If anything… nothing has really changed between us besides… the sex." She nodded as he smirked a little, but he knew what she meant.

"Yeah, I get you." Punk nodded as their waiter approached them with their food, putting it down as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." She smiled to their waiter as Punk nodded to him, "Oh my God, I can't wait to eat this." She smiled, picking up her burger and taking a bite as Punk smiled. He was nervous this morning. Nervous at how real everything felt the previous night with her. Nervous how he really did have something great here and he was terrified he would ruin it, along with ruining their friendship. But he had nothing to be worried about, he knew they'd always be friends, and whatever connection they had on an intimate level, he was looking forward to exploring and developing it further.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think and drop a REVIEW! I've got lots planned for this one so stick around!**


	13. Comfort

**Comfort**

* * *

"So what's going on with you guys?" Dean asked a few days later at the station sitting with Punk and Seth, of course directly speaking to Punk.

"We're taking it slow." Punk said, "I mean it's not like we have to… get to know each other. There's literally nothing we don't know about one another but… we don't wanna rush things." He said, "We had our first date."

"Yeah, where'd you take her?" Seth smiled.

"Just for a cheeseburger." Punk shrugged as they looked at him wearily, "She was fine with it." He immediately said, "I forgot you two both dine your girls at five stare restaurants." He rolled his eyes.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with a cheeseburger." Seth shook his head.

"And I don't even have a girl so… I can't judge." Dean put his hands up, "So things are going good so far?" He asked.

"Yeah, so far." Punk nodded, "We promised that if things didn't work out, we'd always we best friends."

"Friendship like that doesn't go away." Seth said, "You guys have been joined at the hip for like… what's that? Eight years." Seth nodded, "It's crazy."

"Tell me about it." Punk nodded.

"Have you always liked her like that? Are you just not telling us?" Dean asked.

"Honest to God, I didn't know I liked her like that until my tongue was in her mouth." Punk said, "Something just clicked. She felt it too."

"It's like a romantic novel." Dean shook his head.

"What novels do you read?" Seth questioned shaking his head.

"Quite a few actually." Dean said, grabbing the donut bag from him and taking one out, "What we got to do today?" He asked Punk.

Punk wasn't exactly their boss by any means, just like AJ wasn't, but anything serious going on, Punk was the top officer in charge alongside AJ. They'd earned it. They'd worked their way up and secured their positions.

"I don't know what you two are doing but I'm going out with AJ. There was a ship that docked late last night. Dead bodies were found as well as immigrants. Rocky and the team are down there right now but we're gonna check it out." Punk stood up.

"Wait, is this gonna work?" Seth asked.

"What?" Punk said.

"You and AJ working together?" Seth questioned.

"Why wouldn't it?" Punk asked, "It's not like we're in competition." He said as Seth just agreed and shrugged, "I'll catch you guys later." He nodded to them, walking up to AJ's office and sticking his head in, "I'll be in the car."

"Ok, I'll only be a minute." AJ smiled to him as he shut the door back over and headed on out to the car.

AJ grabbed her things, leaving her office and locking the door as she walked down the station past all the desks, walking by Dean and Seth who smirked to her. They'd always been immature, she knew that, but even more so now that her and Punk were starting a relationship. They were like teenagers.

"Get to work, boys." AJ told them as they smiled, watching her walk out of the station.

AJ got into the car with Punk, clipping on her seat belt as he immediately got on route to the docks whilst AJ went over everything they already knew, "This is like nothing I've ever saw before." AJ admitted to him, "It's like… some sort of illegal smuggling, which I'd understand if it was drugs but with people." AJ shook her head.

"Who was in charge, though?" Punk asked, "Surely there was someone bringing them here." He said.

"Rocky reckons that's who is dead." AJ said, "Obviously whoever wanted them here is already living here in Chicago… or wherever it is." AJ said.

"Human trafficking?" Punk questioned.

"Possibly." AJ nodded with a sigh.

"We'll figure it out." Punk smiled, placing his hand on her thigh as she smiled, placing her hand on top of his. She was surprised and glad that nothing felt dramatically different about their relationship besides having that urge and want for one another, which was something new and exciting. It was working, and she was glad.

They arrived at the docks where the huge freighter was docked and the whole area was blocked off. AJ and Punk got out of the car and immediately headed over to Rocky, one of their gifted technicians and police officers on the force. He'd joined just after Punk did and had been a huge asset to their station.

"Talk to me, Rocky." AJ said as they approached the African American who nodded.

"So basically, it's a crowd of Japanese immigrants who have no idea why they're here." Rocky explained, "The driver I guess, who was in charge was shot on deck of the ship along with all the other men in charge, but they were shot as they were pulling into the dock which means-"

"Someone here shot them. Why keep them around?" AJ asked, "Whoever wants these people here got what they needed. They're just disposing heavy weight." AJ nodded, "Makes sense." She said.

"So, these people don't know why they're here?" Punk questioned with confusion.

"No idea." Rocky nodded, "They were taken from their homes and put on the ship. But I mean… it's clear someone wants them here, for what reason I don't know. That's on you, Mendez." Rocky said as AJ nodded.

"Where are we gonna put them?" AJ asked.

"Shelters I guess." Rocky said, "Until we can figure out something." Rocky nodded, "I mean, they don't wanna be here so… it's inevitable we get them back to their homes." He said as AJ nodded, looking over as she saw some of them gathered.

"There's children?" AJ questioned, turning back to Rocky as Punk looked over and noticed there was children amongst those who had been illegally shipped here.

"Yeah." Rocky nodded, "It's like families. Look, our main concern is finding out who wants them here, who is in charge of bringing them here and who shot the deliverers when the ship was docking." Rocky said, "I assume whoever it was, was waiting to get the families off the ship and take them somewhere but… when you fire a gunshot, people make phone calls, whoever it was must have split right away." Rocky said, "Remember we're cops, not the government." He told them.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Thanks, Rocky." She tapped his arm as he nodded, heading off back to one of the cop cars as AJ and Punk headed over to the illegal immigrants.

"This is a stiff one." Punk admitted to her as she nodded, looking at all the people gathered and gulping.

"Yeah." She agreed.

* * *

AJ and Punk were busy for most of the day and finally got to go home around 8pm. Punk wasn't putting her under any pressure to invite him into her apartment, but she asked anyway and insisted they had dinner together. She needed some sort of calm in her life after the busy day they'd had. She supposed that another great aspect of their forming relationship, was that he understood her job better than anyone could, because he was with her for most of it. That meant a lot.

"I mean… who is smuggling that amount of families into the states?" AJ asked him, sitting on the couch after they'd ate dinner which AJ cooked, "Normally I can see the silver lining right away but… this is just strange." She turned to him, sitting beside him on the couch as the TV was on turned down in the background.

"Someone who has a business here, maybe?" Punk asked, "It could be something really simple, Ape. Like needing more people here for a family business."

"And then killing he people who brought them?" AJ questioned as he nodded, "It's not something simple. I know that much." She said, "Could be like an illegal business, and someone wants to expand on it?" AJ questioned as Punk nodded.

"Why not just bring them to the states legally?" Punk asked.

"Paperwork. Questions. Plus, there was a ton of them." AJ said, "The people in charge of the ship were obviously promised money for getting the families here, right? So then they were killed because whoever was in charge, didn't want to pay them." She said as Punk nodded.

"We gotta keep an eye on them. If we send these families back to their homes, we're pissing off people. Dangerous people, probably." Punk nodded.

"Well then maybe that's the best thing. Brings them out of the shadows." She nodded, "Something will come to light. Transporting that many people just to fall into silence." She shook her head, "I'm having checks ran on all Japanese businesses in Chicago. Tomorrow is gonna be fun." She smiled to him tiredly.

"Can't wait." Punk smiled to her as she looked across at him.

Putting all their work aside, she was glad he was here, and she was glad things were going smoothly just like she had hoped, and she wanted him. That's why she knew this wasn't an epic fail. If it was only meant to happen one time then it would have, and they would have moved on, but she wanted more, and she wasn't gonna shy away from that.

Punk watched as she leaned over, pressing her lips against his as he kissed back, placing his hand by her waist as she straddled herself over him, cupping his cheeks as the kiss deepened quickly as she grinded her mid-section against his.

Something just felt right with them. Like they'd been doing it this entire time. It felt comfortable and relaxing and AJ felt safe in his arms. Only his arms.

She ripped his shirt off him and kissed her way down his body as he watched her lustfully. The fact she wanted this just like he did was an assurance to him that she did have feelings like he did, and that was the greatest thing.

She undone his belt and pulled off his trousers and boxers, not all the way but enough to free his hard member. She wanted to make him feel equally as good as he could make her feel, and that was a lot to live up to, since he made her feel things she never thought she could feel.

She wrapped her hand around him and began stroking him up and down softly, watching him roll his head back as she smiled, "You like that?" AJ hummed as he looked back down at her.

"You have no idea." Punk moaned as she smiled, continuing to stroke him up and down with her hand until she wrapped her mouth around him. Her mouth felt like velvet and he didn't know if he could control himself, "Fuck, April." Punk moaned, bunching her hair back with his hand, watching as she started off by sucking the tip, and then she took him deeper and deeper until he was hitting off the back of her throat and her eyes were becoming glassy, "Fuck!" Punk grunted, watching her bob her head up and down on him.

She held him deep in her mouth, deep throating him and then releasing him where she would stroke him with her hand before taking him back in her mouth. She kept that up, very much enjoying how hot and bothered it was making him, until he pulled her back up to her feet.

"I was having fun." AJ giggled, wiping her mouth like a kitten as he smirked. He got to see her in a different light. In a more sexual one. And it was pure heaven. She could be sweet and angelic, smart and brave, but completely wild and uncontrollable.

"Fun has just started." He said, standing up with her as she laughed, kissing him deeply as they headed into the bedroom.

* * *

"Mmm… I'm gonna cum, baby." AJ moaned, laying in the centre of her bed whilst Punk thrust into her, settled between her legs, not taking anything lightly as he pumped into her fast and hard. He knew every time he bumped her g-spot, because she made the best moan, which could have passed for a scream also, ever. She was beautiful, and getting used to reminding himself that she was his was insane.

"You wanna cum?" Punk asked her, lowering himself down to her face, pressing his lips against hers as she kissed back, backing away again, "You wanna cum for me?" He asked, tangling a hand between them as he reached down to play with her clit which caused her to arch her back and moan his name.

"Phil!" AJ gasped, "Please… I'm… I'm right there. I'm right there, baby." AJ cried out as Punk leaned down, kissing her neck whilst continuing to thrust into her and stroke her clit.

AJ held out for as long as she could until she felt her whole body shudder, a wave of electricity hitting her body as she wrapped her legs around his waist tighter, whispering his name in his ear over and over again as he slowed down a little, feeling her juices run down his length, dampening the sheets underneath which were already damp from previously in the night.

She gasped to herself, cupping her breasts with her eyes shut as he quickened the pace inside her to find his own release, eventually spilling himself out, moaning to himself as he stayed inside her for a minute before pulling out and throwing the condom in the trash, rolling onto his back beside her as she lay satisfied and happy, turning her head to look at him as he lay breathing heavily.

She rolled over on top of him, face to face with him and pressed a kiss on his lips softly as he smiled, "You know you're the best I've ever had. I'm not just saying that." She whispered as he smiled. She was serious. No one had ever brought her to such intense highs before. The type of high that left her whole body numb and tingling, and begging for more. It was just another indication that she was meant to be with him like this.

"Right back at you." Punk said, still trying to find his breath as she laughed. He knew why it felt so good. It was because he cared about her. A great deal actually.

"Maybe you should… leave some clothes at my place." She said, still laying on top of him whilst looking into his eyes, "I like when you stay the night." She nodded.

"Me too." He whispered, pressing his lips back against hers, finding so much comfort in holding her.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for all the kind reviews guys! Keep them coming, I love reading what you think of the chapters. Just for the heads up, for the time being in the story, the cases that are taking place don't really mean that much, it's just to show AJ and Punk working together and how their relationship is gonna progress, but… there will be some twists and turns coming up very soon so stay tuned and REVIEW!**


	14. Soulmates

**Soulmates**

* * *

"That's a nice globe." AJ smiled, walking by Eve's desk and pausing as she noticed the globe she had gotten her for her birthday was sitting up on her desk.

Eve turned around a little startled, having been in the middle of writing a report, looking up at AJ who smiled at her softly, "It is." Eve agreed, "And I haven't gotten the chance to say thank you." She said, "I still remember those days like it was yesterday." She nodded.

"Yeah, me too." AJ nodded, "And I know how much you love globes." She said as Eve smiled, "I'll um… I'll let you get back to work."

"Wait-" Eve said as AJ paused before heading to her office, "I heard about you and Punk." She said, "I'm really happy for you. You deserve someone who… cares about you. And I know he does." Eve nodded, "I think the reason people aren't talking about it as much as they should be is because… we all sort of expected it." Eve laughed lightly as AJ smiled.

"So I've been told." AJ smiled at the ground, "He's a great guy." She nodded, "And I'm happy with him."

"Good." Eve nodded.

"I'm gonna get back to work." AJ pointed to her office as Eve nodded, watching her head back to her office as she turned around to finish what she was doing at her desk, smiling at the picture in the globe as she done so.

It had been a few weeks since AJ and Punk decided to expand their relationship to more than just a friendship. Things were going great. They were going at a steady place and there was no pressure on either of them. It was the happiest AJ had been in a long time, but her bipolar disorder didn't play to the beat of her new boyfriend.

AJ got into her office, sitting down behind her desk and sighing as she realised she was buried deep in so many cases that were floating around. Some were more important than others, but to her every case was important, and her determination sometimes wasn't the best quality she had since she wouldn't rest until she figured it all out.

"Coffee?" Punk stepped into her office minutes later, sitting down her coffee as she smiled up at him.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, "I need it." She admitted.

"How you feeling?" Punk asked her. She'd had a rough few days in one of her depressive cycles. He knew how they worked. They normally lasted for a few days, sometimes a week, and it was hard to see her in them, but she had home remedies as well as a doctorand medication to guide her through it. She implied to him that it was always about finding a good balance, but sometimes she still had bad days.

"Ok." AJ said, still not one hundred percent. Throughout the past few days he had been great. Jacob never really knew how to deal with her bipolar disorder, but with Punk it was like second hand nature. He knew what helped her and what didn't, and it was great to have him by her side not just as a friend this time but as something more.

"I know you think you're being on all of this work but… you're not really." Punk promised her. He knew stress was a massive trigger for her, and he wanted to make sure that work wasn't getting too much for her, "We're still leading this Japanese smuggler case. Dean and Seth took over the arson one and you closed that other robbery case last night." He told her as she nodded, "We're still on top of things." He assured her as she smiled.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "Speaking of… did you check out that Japanese restaurant down town?" AJ asked him, flicking through her files.

"I was on my way but I wanted to give you the coffee." He said as she stood up.

"I'll come with you." AJ nodded.

"If you're not up to it-"

"Anything to get away from this office." AJ said as Punk nodded, "I'll get you in the car." She told him as he nodded and left the office.

She was picking up her things, gun, badge, handcuffs etc when she heard Punk yelling on her from outside. She rushed out of her office and saw he was standing with Rocky at the front desk.

"What is it?" AJ panicked, briskly walking towards him as Dean and Seth joined.

"There was a shooting at that Japanese restaurant you were checking out today." Rocky told them as AJ raised her eyebrows, "I've got squad cars on their way right now." He said.

"Ok, let's go." AJ nodded, rushing out of the station as Punk followed her, both of them getting in the car and making their way to the restaurant, parking outside with the other cars as AJ walked straight into the restaurant. She had no fear. Punk knew that was sometimes a good thing, but could also be a bad thing.

"Round the back." Punk told the cops who were already gathered there who began to spread out. The restaurant was pretty big and was cleared out after a gun shot was heard from the back. A customer who had been there eating had called to report it, and it seemed all too fitting that they were heading here today.

Punk caught up with AJ in the restaurant where she had her gun up and was walking slowly through the back, past the kitchen and into the offices. Both of them ducked when they saw a gun stick out from one of the rooms, hiding behind the waiter tray as gun shots were aimed at them. Punk immediately stood up and began firing back, walking further towards the room where the shot had come from, pressing his back against the wall beside the door as AJ followed, staying down low and keeping her gun out in the open.

This wasn't anything new to them. They'd been here many times before. In fact, they'd probably been in scarier situations. But they really didn't know what they were walking into. That was the worrying part.

AJ nodded to Punk, assuring him she had his back as he stepped into the room first. It was like a gigantic stock room where Punk assumed they kept food and drink. He kept his gun up as AJ stood at the doorway watching him, jumping as she saw a man jump on him out of nowhere, Punk's gun flying to the opposite end of the room as AJ rushed over, about to pull the man away when she felt arms circle around her neck.

But luckily enough. They were cops.

AJ grabbed whoever was behind her and pulled them over her onto the floor, placing her foot at his neck gently to keep him down whilst Punk easily took care of his own opponent, "Who else is here?" AJ spat, pointing her gun at the man under her foot whilst Punk had the other man already in handcuffs.

"There are more of us." The man said. It was apparent he could barely speak English.

AJ crouched down to him, taking her foot away from his neck and grabbing him by the chin, "There was a gunshot heard here earlier. Was anyone hurt?" AJ asked the man who looked up at her in silence, "Alright." AJ spat, standing back up and pulling him to his feet, handcuffing him as Punk called for back-up, "Get them out of here." AJ spat as the two men were taken away by the cops who had come for back-up.

"They're gonna need to talk." Punk said as AJ nodded, walking out of the storage room and by the offices as she paused upon the opened door. Punk paused beside her and watched her open the door, both of them looking on at the dead body on the floor with a fresh gunshot wound to the chest.

* * *

"These guys are careless. We know that much." Punk said, having round up half of the station, "They were trying to smuggle more people into the country probably because they have more than just a Japanese restaurant going for them." He said, "And they're bad guys, alright, if a few of them get caught, they're not gonna talk to us." Punk shrugged, writing stuff up on the board in front of them, "We searched the dead body, he had a number on a card. We think it might lead to whoever is in charge of all of this." Punk said, "Rocky, we'll need you on stand by for when we call the number." He said.

"Yes, sir." Rocky saluted Punk.

"For the time being, we focus on this restaurant. We get anything we can from it. It's obviously a cover up for an illegal business that's being run, and we've just cleared it out." Punk said, "Alright. We've cracked the first part." He said positively. For the past few weeks, they hadn't really gotten anywhere with it all but now it seemed there was a breakthrough, and it was only a matter of time before they rounded it all up.

The officers cleared out and Punk joined AJ over at the front desk who was signing out.

"You didn't have to get that many people involved." AJ said.

"It's a big case." Punk said, "We need all the help we can get it." He said, taking the pen from her and signing out as they headed out of the station.

"Well we've scared them away from their stomping ground. There was obviously a trade or a confrontation made today that went wrong. Maybe a buyer or a worker who'd pissed them off?"

"We don't even know who them is." Punk said, getting into the car as AJ rolled her head back against the seat and shut her eyes over. Punk watched her and could see she was tired, drained and probably not feeling all that great.

"Let's not talk about it." Punk said, placing his hand on her upper thigh, "We don't have to always talk about work." He said as she nodded.

"It's just… a lot of stress." She sighed, opening her eyes back up and brushing her hair away from her face.

"I get it." Punk nodded, "And you know you can talk to me about it."

"I just hate not knowing. I hate when… I hate when things drag out and they just… never become solved." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"Like your sisters case?" He asked her as she turned to him, "I know you can't stand the fact that your sisters case was never solved, and I know that when you can't solve your own cases here that it reminds you of it." He said as she gulped. He really did know her. All of her.

"Something like that." AJ nodded, turning away.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, Ape." Punk said, "We've faced worse." He reminded her as she looked up at him and smiled.

"Mhm." AJ smiled as she looked across at him, "I guess we have."

"We have." Punk said.

"Are you gonna… stay at mine tonight?" She wondered.

He didn't stay every night with her. Not because he didn't want to but things were going slowly, and they didn't wanna smother each other at all times. He did have a pile of clothes that he'd left at hers incase he did stay some nights.

"If you'd like me to." Punk smiled as she nodded.

* * *

"It's crazy how right this feels." AJ whispered, lying naked in his arms in her bed, her cheek pressed against his chest whilst he held her tightly.

"I know." Punk nodded, "Feels like we've been doing it the entire time." He admitted.

"I know I'm a lot to handle." She said as he looked down at her, backing away a little so he could see her face.

"What do you mean?" He said.

"Well… my bipolar disorder." AJ said, "I've been a little off these past few days and… I know that it's frustrating-"

"It's not frustrating." Punk said immediately, "It's an illness and I understand it's what you sometimes go through." He said, "You're not hard to handle in any way."

"But I might be." She placed her hand on his chest, "It's not just my… depressive cycles. I can get really upbeat and loud." She admitted.

"April, I know how it works, and you-you deal with it so well. These past few days I've got to see how it affects you a little bit closer, and I'm not… put off. If that's what you think." He said, "You know how to take care of yourself. You know how to control it and how to treat it. And I'll do whatever I can to help you."

"Thank you." AJ smiled up at him. There was no greater feeling than being accepted by someone for being who you are. He made her feel normal and loved and she'd never felt that before. Not even with Jacob.

"Stop being silly." He whispered, "You know, I got you." He kissed her head, pulling her back in tightly to him as she smiled.

"I love you." AJ said, kissing his chest softly as he looked down at her. He knew that wasn't the 'I love you' as a friend. Because they had loved each other for a long time. But it was always just as friends. This was 'I love you' whilst holding each other naked.

He wasn't scared of those three words even though he'd never said them to any girl before. He guessed he wasn't scared because it was real, and it was true. The more and more time they spent intimately, he knew he loved her. He loved her for her. He'd never met a girl like her and never thought that what he needed was always standing right in front of him.

"I love you too." Punk said as she smiled to herself, nervous for a second incase he left her hanging. She curled into him after he replied, closing her eyes and falling asleep with him. She felt like she finally had a life partner, not just a work partner. Like she'd met her soul mate even though he'd been there all along.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	15. Return Of The Ex

**Return Of The Ex**

* * *

"How didn't we know it was obviously going to be something to do with drugs?" AJ questioned, coming back from answering her door and taking the pizza they had ordered from the pizza man, sitting the box in the centre of the table whilst Punk got drinks.

"The lengths some people will go to." Punk shook his head, joining her at the table. They'd gotten more leads on their ongoing case and it did have a connection to a huge drug business. Things were heading in the right direction for sure and they were picking up on a lot of reasons why there people trying to be smuggled into the state illegally.

"I don't get why people are so… hooked on the idea of drugs, you know? I mean it kills you. Eats away at you." She shook her head, opening up the pizza box as she sat down across from.

"Sometimes people find themselves in situations." Punk said, "And then they can't get out of them." He said, "It's like alcohol." Punk said, "I watched my dad start off with just drinking at night when he got home from work. Then he started drinking in the morning. Then he'd not go to work and drink the full day, and it was just… a cycle." Punk shook his head.

"When was the last time you saw him?" AJ asked him. She knew all about his family life, just like he knew about hers. They'd both had it rough, and that was another thing that made them bond and understand each other that little bit better.

"I'm not sure." Punk admitted, "It's been a while. A while since I've saw any of them." He admitted as AJ nodded.

"You don't… miss them?" AJ asked him, digging into her slice of pizza as he'd already finished his first slice.

"Nah." Punk shook his head, "They were never my family. The station is the only family I've ever know." Punk said as she nodded. He always said that and she understood what he meant. She felt the same. It was good they had the vulnerability of family life in common, she didn't feel as foreign and alone.

"I know what you mean." She smiled, "You parents were the ones who sent you to the academy though, right?" She reminded herself as he nodded.

"Yeah, they thought it'd be punishment." Punk laughed a little, "I had disciplinary problems so they thought I'd get cured there." He shook his head, "Jokes on them, because it was the best place for me at the time."

"Maybe they knew you'd like it." AJ shrugged, "Maybe they were looking out for you."

"Don't." Punk laughed a little, "Everything they done, they done in favour of themselves."

"And what about your brother? Is he… is he out of prison yet?" She asked him.

"I'm not sure." Punk said, "I keep my distance from them and I plan to continue to keep my distance from them. It's better for me." He said as she nodded. She could see there was that part of him that lived inside her also, that wished for a normal family life, for normal responsible, fun loving parents, but neither of them knew much about that, "What about you, when was the last time you saw your mom?" Punk asked her.

"Oh, God." AJ sighed, "Like… a year and a half ago, maybe." AJ estimated, "And even at that, I bumped into her when I was visiting my sisters grave. We had a fight, and I flew back here that night." She said, "We should never be allowed in the same room together." She said.

"Do you think it's cause you're so alike?" Punk questioned.

"Please." AJ laughed, "You've never met my mother. We're not alike in any way." She said, "The only thing we share is a bipolar disorder." She said.

"You wish your dad stuck around?" Punk questioned. Like said before, they knew everything about each other, but he guessed they'd never really went deep into discussion about their families.

AJ's father left the family when AJ was just three years old. One day he just up and left, and she knew that contributed to her mother's mental health at the time, not that she ever took care of it anyway, or wanted to acknowledge it was there.

"I don't care about him. I don't know him." AJ shook her head, "Gabrielle was my mom and dad. She was the one who raised me and kept me clean and fed me, took me to school." AJ nodded, "She was all I ever needed." She said.

"You think about it every day, don't you?" Punk asked her as she nodded. He knew her sister was a huge part of her life, and the way she was taken away from her was cruel and brutal and it seemed so harsh considering she was all she really had.

"I can remember the cops at the door." AJ said, "Mom was out. I was only eighteen." She said, "They sat me down and they explained what had happened. I just… I didn't believe it." She shook her head, "And you know fine well that the not knowing who done it is my biggest problem. I don't think I'll ever rest until they're caught."

"You can't live your life like that, though." Punk shook his head, "Do you think your sister would want that? She'd wanted you to live your life. Take advantage of it." He said.

"I know." AJ said, "I know she would but… that's just the stubbornness in me." She shook her head.

"Were you dealing with your bipolar during that time?" Punk questioned.

"No. I was never diagnosed yet." AJ said, "Mom wasn't even diagnosed with it." She laughed lightly, "It was a few months after when I had to start depending on myself, that I realised I was slightly off. I'd go into these dark, depressive moods but then other times I would… wanna go out and party." AJ said, "And I don't party." She made clear as he nodded, "It took me a while to gain the courage to go to the doctors and be like… hey I'm not well." She said, "It seems stupid considering we can easily go to the doctors with a sore throat, but when it's our mental health we always pretend it's not there." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

"And you were diagnosed then?" Punk asked her.

"Uh… no… I was misdiagnosed with depression. The doctor heard about my sister and immediately knew I would have been depressed, so she hit me with a tub of anti-depressants and I was on my way." She said, "Two weeks later I was in committed into a hospital." She nodded, "I was officially assessed and diagnosed with bipolar disorder."

"What about your mom?" Punk shook his head.

"Well she'd always had mini breakdowns for as long as I could remember, and I thought that was just what being a mom did to you, but once I learned more about my disorder and how it was genetic, I… I realised there was a good chance she was bipolar too."

"So she was diagnosed after you?" Punk asked.

"Yeah. She's still in denial to this day, and she doesn't really take her medication." AJ said.

"Do you think she's afraid?" Punk asked her as AJ shook her head.

"Trust me, I've shown affection and concern to my mother, many times." AJ said, "I sent money to her when I was in the academy, to make sure she was looked after. But she… she just pretends I don't exist." AJ said, "It's like she blames me for unveiling our illnesses." AJ shook her head.

"That's crazy." Punk said.

"Literally." AJ nodded as he smiled, "It used to bother me a whole lot but… now I know that I just have to concentrate on me. On my health." AJ said.

"Most important thing." Punk agreed as she smiled, "Would your mom approve of me?" He wondered as she laughed a little.

"My mom wouldn't have approved of any boy. She was extremely paranoid about me and my sister hanging around boys." She nodded, "But… I guess that was a lot to do with her disorder in a way." She said.

"What do you mean?" Punk asked.

"Well she didn't want us to make the mistake of having kids too young like she did." AJ said, "And she was just… very controlling." AJ nodded, "When she was actually at home."

"I think I could charm her." Punk nodded as AJ smiled, shaking her head.

"Well you're on your own." AJ said as he smiled, "I could never really… talk to Jacob much about… my family." She admitted, "Any conversation about my sister would just make him all uptight."

"You should have been able to talk to him about anything." Punk said as she nodded in agreement.

"I can talk to you about anything." She smiled, "And I think it's good that I remember my sister… for the good times, and I talk about them." AJ nodded, "I can't just think about her as the sister who was killed." She said.

"I couldn't agree more." Punk nodded.

* * *

Once they'd finished their pizza, they moved to the couch and AJ whipped out a few pictures of her and her sister when they were younger. She didn't keep much things, sentimentally wise, but she kept a few pictures that she loved.

"You guys are like twins." Punk admitted as he saw the pictures.

"People did think we were twins." AJ said, sitting on the couch with her legs in a basket, passing him the photo's as he sat beside her, "She was so pretty I used to be so jealous." AJ admitted with a smile. She'd never gotten to do this with someone before. Jacob wasn't really approachable when it came to her sister, and she didn't have any close friends.

"Did you always wear matching outfits?" Punk asked with a light laugh.

"Only when we were little." AJ smiled, "When we got older I used to just recruit to stealing her clothes." AJ smiled to herself.

"You don't even look any different." Punk laughed to himself.

"I'm like fifteen there." AJ looked at the picture he was holding.

"Exactly." Punk chuckled as she smiled. She enjoyed this. She enjoyed recalling special memories and not feeling so alone whilst doing so. Most of all, she enjoyed Punk's comfort and company. It had always been there, but he was here with her on a more close and intimate level, and it was wonderful. Things really were going great.

Just as they were having fun, cracking jokes and looking at the pictures which Punk was enjoying just as much as AJ was, there was a knock at her door.

"I'll get it." AJ said, getting up off the couch and walking over to the apartment door, opening it up as she saw Jacob standing in his work suit, "Jacob." AJ said as Punk turned around with confusion, watching Jacob walk into the apartment.

"Sorry to bother you." Jacob said, "I think I might have left some paper work behind here. Do you mind if I take a look?" He asked her.

"Not at all." AJ shook her head.

"Hey, Phil." Jacob nodded over to Punk.

"Hey, man." Punk replied coolly. He didn't think Jacob knew he and AJ were dating, and so just kept himself to himself whilst gathering up all the pictures they had been looking at.

Jacob was looking for some folders to do with his work that he couldn't find, and had suspected they were at AJ's apartment. It had been weeks since they split but it was still a little painful to see her again, even though they were civil.

He was looking in the drawers that used to belong to him in the bedroom when he came across men's clothing. There were some boxers, some jeans and t-shirts, and it confused him since he knew it definitely wasn't his.

He then perhaps dug a little too deep and opened up the top drawer where he knew the condoms were kept, not that he ever used much. He knew there were two full boxes that used to be there, and he only saw one sitting, which only had a few left in it.

He banged the drawer shut and walked out of the room where AJ was waiting.

"Moved on, have we?" Jacob looked down at her as Punk stood up immediately.

"W-What-"

"I assume the boxers aren't yours." Jacob nodded as AJ gulped, having completely forgot about that, "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm finding this a struggle to move on from you and…. And you've already moved on?"

"I can explain, Jacob." AJ nodded as Punk approached them.

"Explain what?" Jacob asked.

"Me and Phil are dating." AJ said without fear as Jacob turned to Punk.

"Your partner?" Jacob asked as AJ nodded, "Wait… how-how long… were you cheating on me with him?" Jacob spat.

"No!" AJ yelled, "Of course not." She said, "After you left, Phil was there for me. We're giving it a go." She said as Jacob glared at Punk.

"He won't be able to put up with you like I did." Jacob kept his eyes on Punk.

"Excuse me?" Punk spat, "I think you should leave." He suggested.

"Or what? You'll arrest me?" Jacob said.

"Don't tempt me." Punk spat seriously, "Get your things and go."

"They're not that important." Jacob waved his hand, turning to AJ, "I hope you're happy." He nodded bitterly, pushing by her and shutting the apartment door over with a bang as AJ jumped, turning to Punk.

"Ignore him." Punk said, walking over to her and pulling her into his arms as she hugged him tightly. Jacob was never an angry character, and maybe she did feel a little bad for moving on so quickly from him, but it wasn't her fault. Things were just falling into place with Punk and she wasn't ruining it. It was the best thing she'd ever had going for her.

* * *

 **A/N: This isn't the last we see of Jacob. That's all I'm saying. Lots more exciting things to come! REVIEW and let me know what you think. Thanks again.**


	16. Day Off

**Day Off**

* * *

"Do you think he really thinks I cheated on him with you?" AJ asked her boyfriend in bed later that night, "I guess I did try to kiss you whilst I was still with him." She said, finding anything she could to feel guilty, but Punk wouldn't let her.

"You didn't cheat on him." Punk said, "You let him believe it if he wants, but you know you never." He said.

"It might make sense to him. He knows we were always close." AJ looked up at him.

"And nothing ever happened." Punk said, "He's probably in the stage of realising how amazing you were and how stupid he has been to have neglected you like he did." He said, "Forget about what he thinks."

"I think we would have ended up together anyway." AJ whispered as Punk smiled.

"Yeah, me too." Punk said, kissing her head as she smiled.

"I never took you for a cuddler, you know." AJ smiled up at him as he laughed.

"I love to cuddle." Punk said as AJ laughed, leaning up and pressing her lips against his as he ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her deeply until they broke apart at the sound of AJ's phone vibrating on the night stand.

"Who the hell is that?" AJ questioned, sitting up in bed and grabbing her phone, "It's Rocky." AJ screwed her eyes up as Punk sat up, "I should answer, right?"

"Yeah, go on." Punk nodded as AJ answered the phone.

"Hey, Rock. What's up?" AJ said, getting out of bed as Punk watched her closely, trying to read her facial expressions to figure out what the phone call was about, "What?!" AJ shrieked as Punk immediately stood up and began putting on his clothes, searching for his gun whilst AJ was trying to get ready whilst staying on the phone, "Are there people already down there?" AJ asked on the phone whilst Punk focused on getting ready, "We'll be there as soon as we can, Rocky. Hold the fort just now." AJ said, hanging up and throwing her phone on the bed.

"What is it?" Punk asked eagerly.

"Another ship just docked." AJ said, "But our guys are there to collect this time. We have to go." AJ said, finishing getting ready and grabbing her gun as they both sprinted out of the apartment as fast as they could.

* * *

Punk and AJ arrived down at the port where police cars were gathered. AJ ran ahead to Rocky once getting out of the car with Punk.

"What's going on?" AJ asked, a little out of breath since they'd rushed so much to get there.

"They're inside the ship. We're waiting." Rocky said as Punk joined them, "There's only one way out and they'll have to go through us. We got them trapped."

"We should go in." AJ turned to Punk who nodded.

"I'll send in a few at your back." Rocky told them, "Careful." He patted them both on the shoulder, walking back to his car as Punk and AJ walked up the steps to the ship which had docked. It was slightly smaller than the previous one, and AJ and Punk knew they had to be careful since there was no doubt innocent people on the ship.

Punk lead the way onto the ship, turning back to AJ and pointing to the opposite side. He never had to worry about her taking care of herself. She was probably better at taking care of herself than he was.

They split up on different sides of the ship, slowly checking the upper deck before they moved down below, running into a brutal fight with the Japanese mob they had been tracking for weeks now.

* * *

"Can we take the day off tomorrow?" AJ asked, sitting on the trunk of a cop car holding ice to her neck whilst Punk stood in front getting stitches on his eyebrow from the on call EMT that worked with them. They'd both encountered a nasty brawl with the guys they had been looking for, but they won, even if it was just two of them.

"I think we deserve it." Punk nodded, "Ow. You're not very gentle, are you?" He said to their EMT, Kayleigh.

"You're a baby." Kayleigh replied whilst stitching him up as Punk smiled.

They'd fought their way through the night and the mob leader, which was their most important guy, had been handcuffed by Punk. They were both pretty busted up and had endured a tough fight, but they came out on top in the end, that was the most important part. They'd been much worse off before.

"Thanks to you two machines…" Rocky approached them, "You prevented a circuit of human trafficking from starting, as well as ending a very dangerous drug business." Rocky told them, "These guys were into bad stuff… heavy stuff. But you got them." Rocky nodded, "Good work." He nodded to them as Punk gave him a thumbs up, not being able to move whilst being stitched.

"You done good too." AJ said modestly, "You had eyes opened everywhere."

"Well it's our job isn't it." Rocky shrugged, "You two rest up and get home… together, apparently?" Rocky smirked to them.

"Yeah, alright. You can go home too." Punk waved his hand as Rocky chuckled, leaving the scene as AJ smiled up to Punk who was still getting stitched.

"I'm serious about that day off tomorrow." AJ told him.

"Me too." Punk nodded.

* * *

The next day, AJ woke up in bed to the smell of pancakes. She'd never smelt pancakes in such a long time. She barely even made time for breakfast anymore, and to wake up without an alarm, to that wonderful smell was a blessing.

She got out of bed, wandering out of the room and turning the corner as she saw Punk standing at the stove flipping pancakes. She couldn't help the large smile on her face. It was still a little surreal waking up to him, but it felt so right.

"Morning." AJ smiled as Punk turned around, not even noticing she was there.

"Morning." Punk nodded, "You have a good sleep?" He asked.

"One of the best even though I'm a little sore today." She admitted. They'd practically come home last night after running a few errands, and had both crashed in bed together. Of course their bodies were a little sore today after the physical fight they'd put up early hours of yesterday morning, but it was good to have a day off which was rare for them, and it meant all the more since they were together.

She walked over to him, grazing her finger over his stitched eyebrow softly, "Poor baby." She whispered as he smiled.

"I'll live." Punk nodded to her, "You want some coffee?" He asked her.

"Please." AJ nodded, "I can't remember the last time I had an official day off." She admitted as Punk smiled.

"Me neither." He said. They both loved their job, that was for sure, but now that they were together, it was nice to have a day off, and they were a little banged up from their chaotic night, "At least we got them." He said, putting the pancakes on a plate and taking them over to the table with the coffee whilst he watched AJ reach for her medication, "What happens if you don't take it?" He wondered as she joined him at the table with a glass of water to take her tablets.

"Nothing extreme. It keeps a balance I guess. If I'm off them for a long time then I'll be at more risk of having extreme manic cycles and depressive cycles." She said, "There would never be a reason for me not to take these. I don't know why some people don't." She admitted. It was always the first thing she done.

"I guess some people might forget, right?" Punk shrugged as they sat at the table.

"I guess." AJ nodded, "So what do we do with our full day off? I'm not used to this." AJ admitted as he smiled.

"Well what do you wanna do?" Punk asked her.

"I just wanna do something fun." AJ shrugged as Punk smiled to himself whilst digging into the pancakes, "Another date." AJ smiled.

"I'm sure we could think of something." Punk nodded.

* * *

"Tigers are my favourite animals." AJ said, her arm linked around Punk's as they walked through the zoo. It was something they'd both randomly decided on, and figured that stretching their legs would be good for their sore bodies, and plus, Punk knew how much of an animal fanatic AJ was.

"Why?" Punk laughed as they passed the tigers roaming around.

"I don't know. They're just… so pretty." She smiled, looking at them all, some sitting on rocks, others on the grass. Normally if Jacob ever took her out on a date, it would just be a restaurant where he'd spend most time on his phone. She knew she couldn't kept comparing Punk to Jacob, but it was hard not to, "What's your favourite?" AJ asked.

"C'mon." Punk laughed, "The monkeys obviously." He said, "Did you see that one snatch the banana from my hand?" He said.

"You were glowing, to be fair." AJ nodded as Punk laughed to himself, "This was fun. It was nice to get away from work for the day." She admitted.

"Tell me about it." Punk nodded as they found a bench and sat down together, "We're doing ok… right?" He asked her. He was nervous at the beginning, but it had been a few weeks and things just seemed to be working out even better as the days went by. He loved spending time with her, whether it was at work, at home or in bed. He'd never been this happy.

"I think we're doing ok." AJ smiled, "It's just a little surreal still… I keep thinking why didn't we figure this out sooner but… I guess we had distractions and… commitments to other things… other people." AJ nodded.

"You're happy, right?" Punk asked her.

"The happiest I've ever been." AJ admitted, "I know work can get in the way sometimes, and it's a big part of our lives but… coming home with you… waking up to you… it's a good thing." She smiled.

"Yeah, it is." Punk smiled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss on her lips softly as she cupped his face softly.

He was brought away from the kiss when his phone started vibrating in his pocket.

"Can't we just have one day." Punk groaned, taking his phone out and seeing it was Seth on the phone, answering it, "Hey, what is it?" Punk said, listening to a frantic Seth whilst AJ watched, gulping when she saw his features drop, "We'll be there right away. Yeah. Bye." Punk hung up.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"Eve was shot."

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	17. Sexy Roommate

**Sexy Roommate**

* * *

Punk and AJ got to the hospital as quickly as they could, finding Seth who was standing in the corridor pacing up and down.

"What's going on?" Punk approached him.

"She's in surgery." Seth said, having gone a funny colour of green, "We were out on the chase. We split up and when I ran back to find her she was down on the ground." Seth shook his head, "I got other cops on the lookout for the guy."

"What was he doing?" AJ asked, "Why were you chasing him?"

"Armed robbery." Seth said as AJ nodded.

"Is she gonna be ok? Where is the wound?" AJ asked worriedly.

"Her shoulder." Seth said, "She was bleeding a lot. I-I don't know." Seth gulped as Punk placed his hand on his arm.

"It's alright." Punk nodded, "She's in the best place."

AJ was extremely worried. Eve was her best friend. Despite all the ugly things that happened, and the fact they weren't as close anymore, she was still her best friend and had been there just as much as Punk was over the years. She'd known her since the academy when they were practically just little girls wanting to take on the world. She was terrified and hoped that she would pull through.

* * *

All three of them stayed at the hospital until Eve was moved into a recovery room after her surgery. Everything had gone well and it looked like she'd be ok. They'd all been in that position before. They'd all been hurt. They had the scars to prove it. But every time it happened it still felt surreal.

AJ and Punk only stayed until Eve was moved to a recovery room. They just wanted to be there to make sure everything had gone well with the surgery, and to make sure Seth was ok. They left shortly after with the promise that Seth would call them when Eve woke up.

"Puts it into perspective, doesn't it?" AJ sighed, getting into the car with Punk who nodded, "God, I really hope she's ok." AJ whispered as Punk turned to her.

"She'll pull through." Punk said, placing his hand on her lap, "We've all been there before. She'll make a healthy recovery." He said as AJ smiled.

"Hopefully." AJ nodded. Punk knew she still cared about Eve and the friendship they had. It was hard for her not to since they were so inseparably close, "Put on the radio from the station." AJ pointed, wanting to know the latest on what was going on.

Punk switched on the speaker phone that was in his car attached to everyone else's radios where they would get paged and broadcasts from what was going on with the PD at the present time.

They listened as the cops went back and forth to concluding that they hadn't found the armed robber who had shot Eve. And Punk knew that only meant one thing.

"Ok." AJ said, reaching in the back seat and grabbing her gun, "Drive." AJ nodded. This was probably when her determination got the best of her. There were only a handful of people she cared about in life, one had already been taken from her, and when any of those she cared about had been hurt or endangered, she fought back.

"April, there's plenty of people out there-"

"And they're not doing their job fast enough." AJ told him. He knew there was no quit in her. That's why he loved her. She was so courageous and so determined to protect those she loved, as well as fulfil her duties within her job, even though she was rarely supposed to be out on the field. She was only supposed to be the mastermind behind piecing cases together, but it was like a drug for her. A high she was chasing.

"Ok." Punk nodded, pulling away from the hospital as they listened to the broadcasts from the other cops, listening in on where they had last seen the armed robber so they could follow along.

* * *

A few hours later, Eve was waking up in hospital with Seth sitting right beside her. He'd just spent the entire night watching her, making sure he was awake when she woke up.

"Hey." Seth smiled softly, "It's so good to see you." He sighed with relief as Eve looked across at him, still out of it and a little groggy, "You're ok. But you were shot. You had surgery but they… they fixed you up." Seth explained as Eve looked around the room, finding her bearings.

"He got away." Was all Eve said. A typical cop.

"No he didn't." Seth smiled, cupping her cheek softly, "Punk and AJ went out and found him." Seth nodded, "He's in custody."

"Are-Are Punk and AJ ok?" Eve asked in a croaky voice.

"What do you think?" Seth smiled, "They're both ok. I think AJ was worried about you."

"It's not like her." Eve said.

"I think me and you both know she still sees you as her best friend. Regardless of what you two fell out over." Seth said, "She wouldn't have let him get away." He said as Eve nodded. She knew that was true.

"When can I… When can I leave?" Eve questioned.

"I'm not sure." Seth said, "You're still being monitored. I don't think you'll be out in a day. Maybe a week." He said as Eve sighed, "I know, I hate hospitals too, but I will be here with you as much as I can be."

"He got me right above my vest." Eve shook her head, "He had a good aim."

"He got lucky." Seth grunted, "Happens every once in a while, but we always pull through." He said as Eve nodded, "I'm not leaving your side, ok?" He said, taking her hand in his softly, so not to disturb the IV drip in her hand.

"Thank you." Eve whispered. Much like AJ, she didn't have much family to depend on. The station was her family. Seth was her family. And they were always there for her in times of need.

* * *

Punk threw his car keys on AJ's night stand, sitting down on the edge of the bed cracking his neck from side to side, having just gotten home after a long night which was supposed to be part of their day off. But Punk understood it came with the job to sometimes be called in.

AJ followed into the bedroom, equally as exhausted as they spent the night hunting down the armed robber. With AJ's brain of knowing where the man would go and why, along with Punk's speed and skill, they tracked him down and got him cuffed, with a huge smile on their faces.

"I'm so tired." Punk sighed like a child, collapsing on top of the bed fully clothed as AJ smiled looking over to him.

"So much for our day off." AJ smiled, stripping out of her clothes as she walked around the room in her underwear to find pyjamas, Punk's eyes following her as she bended over to open up a drawer.

"Mhm." Punk said, not paying attention to what she was saying, watching her turn around quickly to catch him out as she smiled to herself.

"Like what you see?" AJ smirked as he nodded, waving her over as she neglected her pyjamas, walking over to him as he tugged on her arm and pulled her onto him where she straddled his hips, "I thought you were tired." She smiled.

"I got a second wind I think." Punk told her.

"I see." AJ smiled, leaning down and pressing her lips against his as he kissed back deeply, rolling over with her so he was on top, stripping his t-shirt off and pressing his lips back against hers, unclasping her bra from behind and removing it from her body as he began cupping her breasts causing her to smile and moan into the kiss.

* * *

Every piece of clothing they had on got ripped off and they both began exploring one another's bodies and connecting together on an intimate level that they both never knew would exist.

"Shit, April." Punk moaned quietly to himself with AJ on top of him, her hands pressed on his chest as she moved up and down on his length. He met her thrusts by bucking his hips up every time she sunk down on him. They created a steady rhythm that satisfied both of them, and AJ had never felt more comfortable.

He brought out a confidence in her that she didn't think she'd ever have. The confidence to take control, to let him see all of her, a confidence to let him make her body tingle. She'd never had that before and she knew he was bringing it out of her.

"Fuck, baby. You feel so good inside me." AJ moaned, continuing to grind her hips up and down on him, her breasts bouncing up and down as she moved on top of him.

He'd never had a view so beautiful before, and it was so hard to keep his self-control.

She leaned forward, pressing her body against his whilst continuing to move her hips up and down, pressing her lips against his roughly, falling through and whispering in his ear sweet nothings, "Take me." She whispered to him. She wanted him to take control. She was a very in control woman. Her job was all about her control, but right now, she didn't want the control. She didn't have any sort of fetish about him dominating her, but she enjoyed to let go of all control from time to time.

Punk smirked, grabbing hold of her hips and began to thrust up into her as her mouth gaped open at the speed and depth of his thrusts.

"Oh… Oh my God." AJ moaned, feeling him hit her g-spot over and over again, reaching her release in his arms as she kissed the side of his mouth.

"That's my girl." Punk whispered in a husky voice as he slowed his thrusts down, turning his head to look at her, her head on his shoulder as she gasped and twitched around his length inside her. Punk could feel how wet she was continuing to get, and only made it all the more better for him.

"Fuck." AJ gasped, lifting her head and looking at him as he smiled, pressing her lips against his.

"Get on your hands and knees." He whispered to her, breaking away from the kiss as she smiled, parting from his length and getting onto her hands and knees as Punk took her from behind, placing his hands on her hips and thrusting into her as she gripped the bed sheets tightly and moaned so loud, he was scared the apartment below them thought he was murdering her.

"Phil… oh my God." AJ cried out as Punk slammed himself into her.

"Fuck." Punk whispered to himself, "You're so fucking tight, baby." Punk moaned whilst continuing to thrust into her hard and fast. She was the best he'd ever had. Not just on a physical level but emotional too. There was spark there. There was want and need, and that made it all the more passionate, every single night.

* * *

After reaching their peaks, they lay in bed together trying to regain their normal breathing pattern. AJ's leg was draped over his under the sheets, and she slay on her side curled into him. There was no better feeling than sleeping with the man she loved.

"Move in." AJ whispered softly as Punk looked down at her.

"What?" Punk asked, not sure if he heard her right.

"Move in with me." AJ said, "It could be like this all the time." She expressed, kissing his colourful chest.

"It's only been a few weeks, Ape." Punk said as she looked up at him.

"You stay here every night anyway." AJ shrugged. She had her satisfied, happy eyes on, where she looked up at him dreamily. She knew what she wanted though. She wanted him here with her. She didn't care if it'd only been a few weeks and they were taking things slow, things were working out for them. In her mind, they'd been together for eight years now at this point.

"That's a big step." Punk whispered.

"I know." AJ whispered back, "But I want it. It feels right."

"You're not just dick drunk right now, are you?" He asked her as she giggled.

"No." AJ laughed, "I'm serious." She said as Punk looked down at her. She really was serious. He could tell. He was a little hesitant, only because of how long they had been dating, but he understood why she was asking. He was there almost every night since he couldn't resist, and they did carry on like they lived together. They ate at her place, slept at her place, showered and everything in between, and it just so happened that things were going great for them.

"You're serious?" Punk made sure as she nodded with a smile.

"Please be my sexy roommate." AJ grinned as he laughed lightly.

"Ok." Punk nodded with a smile, "Ok." He whispered, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers as she cupped his cheeks and kissed back deeply, grazing her thumb over his stitched eyebrow comfortingly, continuing to kiss him until they gave in and fell asleep together.


	18. Ace

**Ace**

* * *

It had been two months since Punk had moved into AJ's apartment. Living together didn't seem like such a big deal to them since they pretty much spent every given moment of the day with one another, but they were beginning to realise that that might begin to get on their nerves a little, so they still made a point of keeping some of their work separate, and Punk still went out every now and then with the guys from the station. They didn't want to smother each other completely, even though living together was fun and different.

Eve was still recovering from her injury, but was up on her feet and keeping active. She wasn't allowed to return to the field yet, but she was getting stronger every day and was getting by from the help of Seth. AJ had also gone around to their house to make sure she was ok several times. The visits didn't usually last long, but AJ still wanted to be there for her as much as she would let her.

AJ hadn't heard from Jacob since the night he stormed out of the apartment after discovering she was dating Punk. At first it was at the back of her mind a little, but now she wasn't given it a second thought. She was too distracted and way too happy about her life, which was rare since normally she found some sort of struggle in it. Punk just made everything better. He was her best friend above anything, and she believed that was the reason their intimate relationship was working out so well. Of course, they'd had a few arguments since Punk moved in, and they argued at work quite frequently, or about work, but they always came back together in the end. It was always minor stuff.

"Where is AJ today?" Seth asked when he saw Punk got into the station.

"She's got a doctor's appointment." Punk said casually, "And then she's in her office all day. She's got five witnesses coming in that she needs to interview and she's got a shit load of DNA testing's coming back from the lab on that girl that was found two days ago." He said as Seth nodded.

"Busy day, huh?" Seth said as Punk nodded.

"How is Eve?" Punk asked him.

"Stubborn." Seth nodded, "She's desperate to get back."

"I know the feeling." Punk said, "Her wound healing good?"

"Yeah. She's got physio every week. She's been at the range a few times." Seth nodded, "She's just not very patient."

"The right time will come." Punk nodded, "Where is Dean?" He wondered, looking around the station.

"He took the day off today." Seth said as Punk nodded, "I think we're out on a drug raid."

"Great. My favourite." Punk nodded.

"The K-9 van has just showed up outside." Seth announced grabbing his things as Punk nodded, following him out of the station as they met with the driver of the K-9 van.

* * *

"How have you been feeling recently?" AJ's doctor, a blonde-haired woman named Nancy smiled. AJ had been seeing Nancy for as long as she lived in Chicago. She was a great doctor who always got her dosage spot on for her medication, and asked all the right questions.

"Great." AJ smiled, "Phil has been moved in for two months now. I know you were a little nervous for me when I said he was moving in just after a few weeks but… it's good for us. Good for me." AJ nodded.

"I'm glad to hear it's going to plan." Nancy smiled, "When was your last depressive cycle?" She asked, jotting down some notes.

"Um." AJ thought back, "Maybe… five or six weeks ago." AJ nodded, "Work had peaked and Phil and I had some disagreements about the case we were working." AJ said, "I sort of… shut off from everyone and I had to take a personal day." AJ nodded, "But I know when I'm about to have one now. Which is good." AJ nodded.

"Do you fight often about work? With your boyfriend?" Nancy asked.

"Not usually." AJ said, "If we do it's over stupid things."

"Do you think that maybe both of you working in the same field of work is… possibly a bad idea?" Nancy asked.

"I don't think so." AJ said, "We still have separate work. I mean, we work on different branches. I'm a detective. He's an officer." AJ said, "So we're not always working on the same case, but any disagreements we have we always air them, which I think is good." AJ shrugged.

"It is good." Nancy said, "I'm glad you are open with him. You weren't very open with your ex. Were you?" Nancy asked.

"Because he was never there to be open to." AJ rolled her eyes, "Phil is different. I trust him."

"In what way?" Nancy asked.

"In every way, I think." AJ nodded, "With my job, my health, my secrets." AJ said as Nancy nodded.

She met with her doctor every few weeks and a big discussion topic was her relationship with Punk. She knew her relationship did have an impact on her mental health, and her doctor wanted her to stay on top of it, which she was. It was good that she could talk to her about it every few weeks. It was self-assurance.

"And what about your job?" Nancy asked, "How are things?"

"The usual." AJ nodded, "Every day is a busy day. It keeps me going. Keeps me on my toes, I guess." AJ said, "Right now I'm trying to figure out a murder case. There's a lot going on but it's not consuming me like it used to." She said as Nancy nodded.

"And what about your sister? How are your thoughts about that?" Nancy asked.

"Ok, I guess." AJ said, "It's still a temptation to… open everything back up and figure out who done it. I know I could figure it out if I was given the time." AJ nodded, "But… I know what happened last time with my health. I've-I've learned my lesson." AJ nodded.

"Is it something that you're never gonna be at peace with until you find out who done it and find them yourself?" Nancy hated to ask.

"You know it is." AJ said, looking down at the ground, "You know I won't stop until I figure it out." She looked up at her as Nancy looked across at her.

"You've been looking back into it… haven't you?" Nancy asked.

* * *

"Hey." Punk smiled a she walked into AJ's office later that day where she was looking over DNA samples and photographs from the crime scene where the girl who had been murdered was found.

"Hey." AJ smiled looking up at him, happy to see him.

"How did you get on at your doctors?" Punk asked her.

"Good." AJ smiled to him, "Keeping on top of everything as usual." She nodded, "I've been in interviews all day. I just got back a few minutes ago."

"Anything coming to light?" Punk asked her.

"A little bit." AJ nodded, "Just trying to piece it all together." She admitted, leaning back on her chair, "Where were you anyway?"

"Drug raid." Punk said casually as AJ smiled with excitement and stood up, "Yes, the K-9 unit is outside." Punk nodded, watching her rush out of the office, shaking his head but with a smile as he followed her out of the station where she was immediately standing at the back of the van where all the dogs were sitting behaved well and allowing her to clap them.

"Who's a good doggy? Huh?" AJ smiled as she gave them all lots of love and affection that they probably didn't get often.

"Hey, Nate." Punk called to the driver who was standing smoking a cigarette before leaving, "How come this one wasn't allowed out with us?" Punk pointed to the large German Shepherd that AJ was clapping, who seemed a lot more playful than the others, and who Punk remembered being the only dog kept back from helping them in the drug raid.

"He's incapable of getting trained." Nate shrugged as AJ and Punk turned to him, "He just bounces everywhere. Doesn't listen."

"Well then you keep training him." Punk said as Nate shook his head.

"It's not up to me. I'm just the driver." He shrugged, "He's failed all of his circuit training courses. He'll probably get sent to the pound when the next batch of trainees come in." Nate said as AJ frowned, cupping the dog's face.

"Phil." AJ turned to Punk who shook his head with confusion.

"What?" Punk said.

"We can't let him go to the pound." AJ sighed, "Look at his face." She said as Punk caught on to what she was hinting at.

"Ape, we don't have the time for a dog." Punk told her gently.

"But he'll go to the pound." AJ almost cried as Nate rolled his eyes.

"He'll get a nice home, lady." Nate said.

"You don't know that!" AJ snapped at him as Nate walked back to the wall to smoke his cigarette, "Phil, look at him. He wants to come home with us." AJ turned to her boyfriend who scratched the back of his neck, "What's his name?" She asked, spinning the dog's collar around to find his name, "Ace." AJ smiled, "Hi, Ace." AJ smiled dreamily at the dog who licked and bounced at her whilst the other dogs sat behaved and calm.

"He's a big dog, April." Punk said, "He'll need a ton of walks."

"I'll make time." AJ said, "Please, I don't want him to go to the pound just because he's different." AJ looked up at him, bringing out her big brown eyes, "Please." AJ pouted as Punk laughed to himself.

"Alright, fine." Punk nodded, "We'll-We'll take him in."

* * *

"Ace, c'mon give me the remote control." Punk stood face to face with their new pet later that night, watching the dog with the remote in his mouth, squaring up to him. Every time Punk would move forward he would sprint off round to the couch.

AJ smiled from the kitchen whilst keeping an eye on dinner. Maybe she took Ace in because he was cute and fun, but maybe she took him because he didn't deserve to be sent away just because he wasn't able to be fully trained like the rest of the unit. She knew her and Punk would give him lots of love. She really did love dogs too, which was a plus.

"Ape, this dog is out to get me." Punk said, looking over at Ace who trotted away to AJ, dropping the remote in front of her as AJ looked down, "Little shit." Punk whispered.

"Oh, thanks boy." AJ crouched down, taking the slobbery remote and scratching the dog behind his ears, "Thank you. You're such a good boy." AJ smiled, kissing his large nose as the dog sat down for her, "He loves me." AJ smiled happily.

Punk couldn't help smile. Things were going super fast for them all of a sudden. He was moved in and they already had a dog together. But under the circumstances, he couldn't have said no to the dog either. He had huge brown eyes that made him melt just like AJ's.

"How long will dinner be?" Punk asked as AJ walked over to him, handing him the remote after cleaning it, sitting down beside him on the couch as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Not long." AJ told him, "I'm making something Spanish for you." She told him.

"There's a surprise." Punk smiled to her as she curled down into him as they lay on the corner of the corner couch. AJ had been using Punk as her guinea pig to test out different dinners. She wasn't a big cook but it was something she enjoyed. She wanted to better herself at it and find some sort of therapy in it.

"You'll like it." AJ smiled, watching as Ace jumped up on the couch and curled himself at the end, taking up a lot of space given how big he was. They both looked at his soft bed on the floor that they'd bought whilst they also had gotten him bowls, toys and other things they needed for him.

"Of course he's up here." Punk nodded as AJ smiled.

"I love him." AJ smiled to herself as Punk smiled too. He couldn't disagree with her. He was part of the household now, and he saw the way it made AJ feel. She was happy. And that made him happy.

* * *

 **A/N: Lots of fluff right now but there's lots to come. I promise. REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	19. Looking Out For You

**Looking Out For You**

* * *

"Ace!" Punk shouted, running down the park with AJ running behind him, both chasing after their new pet, watching as a man in the distance got a hold of him after seeing them running after him. It was also 5am.

"Thank you so much." AJ gasped as they ran up to the man who had kept a hold of Ace, the very energetic and excited German Shepherd who had almost pulled AJ's arm out of the socket when he saw a flock of birds. He ran off and AJ and Punk practically screamed through the entire park to catch up with him.

"We're sorry about that." Punk said to the man who smiled.

"Oh, don't worry about it. He's a lovely big guy." He smiled, passing the leash over to Punk who took it tightly whilst Ace nudged AJ and rubbed around her legs, as if apologising for running off, "You kids keep an eye on him, though." The slightly older man said, walking on by as Punk sighed, looking down at Ace whose tongue was out whilst he looked up at AJ.

"We should take him to training classes." Punk said, "He almost pulled your arm out of the socket." He said as they began to finish their walk off. They decided that they'd get up early every morning and walk Ace before they headed out to work, and then take him out later on when they returned home. He wasn't badly behaved in a sense that he ruined things or chewed things up. He was just very playful and energetic.

"He just needs a bit of time." AJ said, "He'll settle in. It's only been a week." She said. Ace had very much warmed up to her. He liked Punk too but not as much as AJ. He would lick her to death and cuddle into her on the sofa. He preferred to tease Punk instead, "He's just really playful. Imagine putting him in the pound just because he has some life about him." AJ shook her head, "I don't regret taking him in at all." She said.

"Me neither but chasing him through a park at 5am isn't what I signed up for." He admitted.

"You're cranky in the morning at the best of times anyway." AJ shrugged as he nodded in agreement, "Give him some time. He'll calm down."

"What's your opinion on this dinner for the PD? You feeling it or not?" Punk asked her.

"I'm never feeling it. It's a waste of time." AJ said.

"It is to honour any police officers that have died, Ape." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I know that but… there are other ways to do that." AJ said, "I don't know." She shrugged, "Maybe we go and show face for a little bit."

"I think we should." Punk nodded, "Commissioners will be there. Other officers from other PD's will be there. We should check it out."

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "But… you know how I get. An hour or two will do me." She nodded, "That doesn't mean you can't stay longer. Plus, we got a baby to come home to now." She smiled, scratching Ace's back as he walked.

"Yeah, I know." Punk nodded, looking on as Ace trotted ahead in front of them, "I can't believe I'm actually out here at 5am." He said as AJ smiled and linked her arm through his, leaning into him as they finished walking around the park.

* * *

"I thought you were taking it slow?" Dean asked, "You're living together and you have a dog now. Why don't you just cut to the chase and ask her to marry you?" Dean asked later that day at the station.

"We are taking it slow." Punk said as Dean rolled his eyes, "I was at her apartment all the time anyway, and Ace… well he came along unexpected." He said, "We're still taking things slow." He told Dean.

"Where is she anyway?" Dean asked.

"Interviews." Punk said, "She's busy all day today."

"Story of her life." Dean said, "I tell you what, she's gonna be seventy years old and she'll still be in her office figuring things out." Dean chuckled as Punk smiled, "She's one determined kid." Dean admired.

"Hey, you going to the PD dinner?" Punk remembered to ask him.

"I think so." Dean shrugged, "It's nice to show face, isn't it?" He said.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I think me and AJ are gonna go… just for an hour or so." He said as Dean nodded, watching as an officer approached them.

"These are for Mendez. They were at the front desk. Since you're the only one with keys to her office." The officer handed the envelope to Punk.

"Thanks, Bill." Punk took the envelope from him as the larger man walked away, both Dean and Punk making faces to one another.

"That guy is like a wet mop." Dean followed Bill who disappeared back to his desk.

"Tell me about it." Punk said, "Alright, go away and finish your report… do something productive." Punk waved Dean away who grumbled and headed back to his desk whilst Punk walked down the station and headed into AJ's office which he did have keys for.

He walked into the office, placing down the envelope that had been sent to AJ, probably from the forensics department. He would never snoop around in her office. He wouldn't have done it when they were just friends, and he still wouldn't have done it now, but his foot had hit a folder that was under her desk.

He crouched down, squeezing it under the crack at the bottom, assuming it was maybe one that had slipped down in the drawers she had, picking it up and noticing a few bits of paper fall out.

He thought nothing of it and picked the papers up, taking a glance at them and pausing as he realised what the folder was. It was then when he opened it up and began reading everything. He could see she had made notes. Only he could understand the way she took down notes, not to mention she had dates at the top of everything which were pretty recent dates.

* * *

"I am getting fed up of lawyers not letting their clients speak to me." AJ spat later that night as she poured herself a glass of water and walked over to the kitchen table where Punk was sitting filling in some paper work. Ace was over in the sitting area chewing on his bone happily.

AJ sat down across from Punk, sadly looking across at him as he had completely ignored her, "What are you doing?" AJ asked.

"Work." Punk said as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Are you gonna tell me what kind of work?" AJ laughed a little.

"Are you gonna tell me that you're looking into your sisters case… again?" Punk looked up at her, putting his pen down as she gulped.

"W-What-"

"I found your folder." Punk said.

"Why were you in my office when I wasn't there?" AJ asked angrily.

"Does that really matter?" Punk asked.

"Yes, it does. That is my office where only I am allowed access too. Why were you snooping around?"

"I wasn't." Punk said, "There was mail for you. I went into your office, sat it down and my foot it off your hidden folder. I thought it had fell down out of the drawers so I picked it up." He said as AJ looked across at him.

"It's nothing to do with you." AJ shook her head.

"April, c'mon." Punk groaned, "This shit fucks with your head. Don't you remember how you almost lost it the last time?"

"Yeah, I do. You weren't there." AJ spat hastily.

"I was taking personal time off." Punk said, "But I was still around. I still saw what it was doing to you. It's no good for your health. It's a cold case. Leave it that way."

"No." AJ said, "She's my sister."

"All the more reason to let it go." Punk said, "You wanna get ill? You wanna risk your job?" He asked her as she looked down, "You know what it does to you so why are you doing it?"

"Because I've been doing it since I joined the field." AJ smacked her hands off the table and stood up as Punk watched her, "It's why I got into law enforcement. It's why I make sure murderers and rapists and any form of criminals are sent away." AJ said, "I have to find out who murdered my sister. It's not a choice for me."

"It is a choice." Punk said, "You don't know what you're digging up. The more you piece it together the more you become obsessed and then what happens?" Punk said, "You start to lose it."

"I won't." AJ spat.

"You will." Punk said, "And I'm not gonna let you." He shook his head, "Leave it alone. Just forget about it." He told her.

"That's not easy for me." AJ said as Punk nodded, looking at the desperation in her face.

"I know." Punk nodded, speaking softer, "I know it isn't, but whoever it was that killed your sister is long gone. It's better you leave things as they are instead of digging up old skeletons. Don't wake something that doesn't have to be woke." He said.

"She deserves justice." AJ said.

"But you're not doing it for her, April. You're doing it for yourself." Punk reminded her, "Your sister would want you to drop this. Focus on yourself for once. I know our lives are build up fixing other people's problems but you gotta think about yourself sometimes too." He nodded.

"You don't understand." AJ shook her head, "I have to figure it out. I have to find them."

"You don't." Punk assured her, "It's only gonna make you relive it all. Is that what you want?" Punk said as she looked down at the ground. She definitely didn't want to relive anything that happened all those years ago.

"During my manic cycles." AJ said as Punk looked across at her, "That's when I… that's when I think about it and I… I do my digging." She said, "Those nights that I used to stay in my office until… midnight… 1am… I'd be looking into it." She nodded, "It's like I can piece together more things during my manic cycles." She looked up at him as he nodded. He always took the time to understand her, and she loved that.

"Ok." Punk nodded softly, "When was the last time you had one?" He asked.

"A few weeks ago." AJ said, "You're a heavy sleeper." She shrugged.

"You leave during the night?" Punk asked worriedly as she nodded, "Ape, you can't do that."

"Phil, I have to figure it out." AJ shook her head, "And you gotta let me."

"You're gonna destroy yourself." Punk said, "Do you think your sister would want that? Or would she want you to live your life to the fullest. Further your career. Enjoy your home life with your boyfriend and your crazy dog." He said as AJ smiled.

"I need the justice." AJ nodded, "Maybe she doesn't. But I do." AJ said.

"I've taken your folder." Punk said as AJ's features changed to one of sadness to complete anger.

"What?" AJ gritted her teeth.

"It's for your own good." Punk said.

"Where is it?" AJ asked, "That is my work. My property. How dare you." AJ hissed.

"I'm not letting you destroy yourself over this. I'm not gonna stand by and let you." Punk said.

"It's not your decision, Phil!" AJ shouted.

"I'm trying to look out for you." Punk said, "Just trust me."

"You have no right." AJ spat, pushing by him and walking to their bedroom as she slammed the door shut behind her.

Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair. He didn't intend for it to be such a fight, but he wasn't gonna let her destroy herself over this. He knew it would eventually get to her. She was so hooked on it. It really was like a drug to her, and it made sense that it consumed her during her manic cycles which she didn't talk to him about. He just wanted her to be healthy and happy, and by continuing to dig up her sisters case wasn't gonna make that happen.

"Ok, April c'mon." Punk walked over to the bedroom door as Ace walked over to him and stood beside him, "Don't fall out with me over this." He knocked at the bedroom door, "I love you. This is why I'm doing this." He said, "C'mon open up." He knocked at the door with a sigh.

He stood for a few minutes until he watched the door open, causing a smile to appear on his face, but then it faded as he saw her open the door just a tiny bit so that Ace could squeeze in. He watched the dog run into the room, about to walk in himself when AJ slammed the door shut again, having only opened up for Ace. He assumed he was the one in the dog house tonight.


	20. Everybody Knows

**Everybody Knows**

* * *

"She's just not fucking talking to me." Punk shook his head, sitting at his desk in the station with Dean and Seth. Since he and AJ's fight, AJ was barely acknowledging he was there. He had never saw her so pissed off before.

"Have you tried going up and talking to her?" Seth asked.

"Yeah. Plenty of times." Punk said, "She just gives me one liners and then focuses her attention elsewhere." Punk shook his head.

"What were you even fighting about?" Dean asked.

Punk knew that not everyone knew about AJ's bipolar. In fact, it was only him and Eve that knew from the station, and it wasn't his right to tell anyone, so he kept it simple, "It was just about work." Punk said briefly.

"I knew this would happen." Seth said, "You guys being so close like that. You're gonna clash with your work all the time." Seth nodded.

"We don't usually." Punk said, "We have this stupid dinner tonight and she's still not gonna talk to me." Punk shook his head.

"Just give her some space." Dean said, "She'll cool off."

"I hate her being mad at me." Punk said angrily, "I-I didn't even do anything wrong. I'm trying to look out for her."

"Well we all have different views on things, especially when it's about our jobs." Seth said, "I know you two will be fine come the end of the night." He nodded as Punk sighed, looking over at Eve who was at her desk. She wasn't allowed out on the field again just yet but she was back at her desk, "I'll be back in a minute." Punk said, standing up and walking over to her desk, "Hey, you got a minute." Punk said.

"What's wrong?" Eve looked up at him.

"It's AJ." Punk said, "She's been digging at her sister's case. In fact… I don't think she's ever stopped."

"She knows what it does to her." Eve shook her head angrily.

"She does it during her manic cycles. That's what she told me." Punk said, "Look, I know I wasn't there much the last time but I saw how different she got and how… lost she was. I'm not watching that happen again." He shook his head, "I've taken her folder from her but now she hates me."

"I think she needs a bit of tough love." Eve admitted, "Her bipolar can act in her favour sometimes but it's a dangerous thing. She needs to take care of herself. She always has. It's like she's learned how to disguise it now."

"I just need to convince her that she doesn't have to look into any of it." Punk said, "It's like she's addicted to it. Like a drug."

"I know." Eve said, "If there is anyone she will listen to, it's gonna be you, Phil." Eve nodded, "Just give her some time."

"She's not talking to me." Punk shrugged, "I don't know what to do." He admitted.

"Just being there will mean a lot to her." Eve said, "She'll see that you're trying to look out for her and she'll cool off."

"I hope so." Punk sighed.

* * *

Later that night, AJ and Punk were getting ready for the PD dinner. It was a pretty big event for them. There was auctions and prizes and different awards too. AJ never even wanted to go, but now that she was mad at Punk, she definitely didn't want to go, but she made the effort anyway.

"Paw." Punk said, crouching down to Ace as he tried to get the dog to give him a paw. He'd been ready for over half an hour and was patiently waiting on AJ who was in the bedroom. He was in a suit which didn't take a lot for him to get into.

"C'mon." Punk looked at their handsome dog, "Give me a paw. That one." He pointed to the dog's paw, watching him lift it as Punk took it in his hand with a smile, "Good boy." Punk smiled cheerfully, kissing the dogs furry head, "Good boy that deserves a treat, right?" Punk said, walking away into the kitchen and opening up the 'dog drawer' that they had made for Ace, getting a treat out and giving Ace the biscuit as he ran away happy with himself.

Punk walked back into the living area, turning his attention to AJ who was waiting at their bedroom door. He gulped and stepped back a little, putting his hands in his pockets as he looked at her dreamily.

She was in a red, long dress that clung to her body so complimentarily. Her hair was curly with a little braid pinned round at the one side. Her make-up was subtle and perfect for her and she had a wrap to keep the chill off her shoulders. He was lost for words.

He always saw her in either black or grey office type dresses at work, but this was just completely different, and she looked drop dead gorgeous. He didn't care if they were fighting, he was gonna let her know.

"You look… you're beautiful." Punk shook his head as AJ looked down at the ground nervously, "You look stunning, April." He nodded as she looked up at him, forcing out a small smile that she couldn't help.

"Well, you look very handsome too." AJ added briefly as Punk smiled, "Let's just… get this over with." She nodded as Punk approached her, giving her his hand as she willingly took it, walking to the door as he opened it up for her.

"After you." He smiled as she walked out first with him following. Whatever they were fighting about, it didn't matter tonight. She was just upset about him taking her sisters folder from her. And he was upset that she felt she had to keep digging at things. But they both pushed it away for the night and decided to figure it all out when they got home.

* * *

The night was surprisingly good. It was rare for them all to have a night off. Everyone was in their separate tables. Punk and Dean had gotten into a bidding war. There were prizes to be won and even an open mic for anyone who had any speeches or declarations to make.

AJ was sat between Punk and Eve, and she was glad because her and Punk weren't fully talking just yet, and she was really spending a lot of time talking to Eve which she enjoyed. They were really building their lost friendship back up and AJ really liked that.

It was towards the end of the night when there was the open mic, and some guys were really funny, others were just horribly drunk and could barely construct a sentence, which was funny too.

But it wasn't until Bill, one of the serious police officers got on stage, where the friction began to happen.

"Here comes wet mop." Dean rubbed his hands together jokingly as Punk laughed. His arm was around the back of AJ's chair whilst his eyes were fixed on Bill on the stage.

"Do you remember when you turned him down?" Eve whispered quietly to AJ who smiled and nodded, looking up at Bill on the stage as the man began talking.

He began talking nonsense, and then he changed the topic, "But we're all here for the same reasons, aren't we?" He said on stage, a little drunk but still sober enough to talk properly, "And we use whatever fortunate skills we have to help us along the way." He said as they nodded in agreement, "Some use speed, agility, technology…" He nodded, "And some are just smart as hell." He said, "For example, detective April Mendez." He said as AJ's smile faded as she stiffened a little.

Punk sat up a little, not feeling too defensive just yet but a little weary of what was gonna be said.

"Detective Mendez is hands down the smartest detective that our PD has ever known." Bill said, "She knows what murderers are thinking before they even think it themselves." He nodded, "So everyone I want you to give a hand for April and all the work she does." He said as AJ tried to shy away into herself.

Punk let it slide and clapped with everyone else. He supposed that was a nice thing to say.

"And it's wonder…" Bill started again, "It's a wonder how she does it living with a bipolar disorder." He said, looking across at AJ whose eyes widened as she looked at everyone turning around to her and staring, whispering to one another as Punk watched angrily, "I give her even more props." Bill smiled as AJ stood up and left their table as Eve ran after her.

Punk stood up, waiting for Bill to finish his speech when he made his move down to the front, catching him before he went back to his table and pulling him aside angrily.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Punk spat as Dean and Seth caught up to him to make sure nothing bad went down.

"What? I dedicated my speech to her. What are you? Her bodyguards?" Bill questioned.

"You had no fucking right." Punk hissed, grabbing him by the collar.

"Punk, c'mon." Dean tried to calm their friend down.

"You are a worthless piece of shit." Punk spat, "And if I see you anywhere near her, if I see you so much as look at her, or talk about her again. I'm coming for you." Punk spat as Bill gulped.

Punk stood back, letting go of Bill and stepping back a little to try and cool off, but then his anger hit him again and he punched Bill in the face, hard and fast as he slumped to the ground.

"Fucking hell." Seth groaned, "Right, get him out of here." Seth told Dean who grabbed Punk and pushed him to the back of the hall to leave the room whilst Seth pulled Bill up to his feet, "Just walk it off." Seth spat to Bill who was holding his nose, "Go, walk it off." Seth pushed him away in a grunt.

Punk made his way outside where AJ was standing with Eve.

"She wants to go home." Eve said in passing with Punk as she headed back into the hall to no doubt explain to Dean and Seth what was going on, explain to them what everyone now knew.

"Hey." Punk said calmly, approaching AJ who was hugging her arms, "You cold?" He asked her as she nodded. He took his suit jacket off of him and wrapped it over her shoulders as she held it on her.

"How did he know?" AJ shook her head, looking up at him sadly. It was a secret that she held close to her because she felt like she was more in control of it when no one knew.

"I don't know." Punk said honestly, "But he won't bother you again. I promise." He said, "Babe, no one is gonna even care. And I don't mean that in a bad way, but… everyone knows you're good at your job… they're gonna respect you even more now."

"I didn't want everyone to know, though." AJ shook her head, "And if I did, it should have been me who got to tell them." AJ sighed.

"I know." Punk nodded, "He had no right. And I don't know what his problem is." Punk said, "But it'll be ok." He said, wrapping his arms around her as she leaned into him for a warm hug.

"I just wanna go home." AJ whispered as Punk nodded.

"Let's go home then." He kissed her head as they walked down the street together.

Meanwhile, Bill had made his way outside, still holding his burst nose as he waited for his payment he was promised, watching as a man in a suit approached him.

"Well?" The man said.

"I done it, alright." Bill said, "Now where's my money?" He asked, watching the man take out the money and hand it to him.

"That burst nose is for when you tried asking her out when I was with her." Jacob hissed, "But good job. The money is all there." He nodded as Bill took the money and slid it in his back pocket.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	21. Personal Day

**Personal Day**

* * *

When AJ and Punk got home, AJ didn't really wanna talk about anything so Punk let her control the rest of their night and they ended up just falling asleep on opposite sides of the bed. However, he woke up during the night with AJ practically on top of him hugging him tightly, which made him smile.

He woke up for work but didn't bother to wake AJ. He guessed she would probably take a personal day. He showered and began to put his uniform on when he saw her begin to stir in bed, wakening up as she looked over at him.

"Why didn't you wake me?" AJ asked him as she sat up.

"I thought you'd maybe take a personal day." Punk admitted as AJ nodded.

"Yeah I don't really feel like going anywhere." She told him truthfully as he pulled his belt through the loops and nodded, "I just hate that everyone knows." She sighed, hugging her knees as Punk looked over at her.

"It's probably best just to carry on like nothing has happened." He said, "I know it's not what you wanted and I know he had no right to… to even discuss that type of thing, never mind on a stage like that." Punk said as AJ sighed thinking back to it, "But if people wanna talk, and if they have something to say, let them say it." He nodded, "You are amazing at your job, and no one can take that away from you." He said as AJ smiled softly, "Just have a day to yourself. Have a bath. Eat some ice-cream. Play with Ace." Punk said, walking round to her side of the bed, "Just take some time to yourself." He nodded, leaning down and kissing her head as she smiled.

"We're not still fighting, are we?" AJ asked him as he looked down at her, "Because I don't wanna fight with you. I know you were just looking out for me." She nodded.

"We're fine." Punk assured her, "We can talk about it all when I get home." He said as she nodded, "Call me if you need anything." He said, leaning down to kiss her lips softly. He'd went for a kiss on the head at first because he didn't know if she was still mad with him, but it seemed she had dropped her anger towards him.

He could see she was probably going into one of her depressive cycles. He knew the signs. He just wanted her to take a day to herself. He didn't want her to force herself out of bed.

"I love you." AJ smiled, breaking away from the kiss.

"I love you too." Punk nodded, leaving the bedroom and looking over at Ace who was lying up on the sofa sprawled out, "Hey!" Punk whistled as the dog sat up like a lightening bolt, "You can go in." Punk nodded, watching Ace jump off the sofa and run into their bedroom. For now, he was way too needy to sleep in beside them. He'd always try and squeeze up in the middle of them, and almost every night they got intimate which Ace didn't have to spectate, so he slept on the couch in the sitting area.

Punk smiled as he left the house, listening to AJ talk to Ace as he imagined the dog had jumped up on the bed and was smothering her with kisses.

* * *

Punk got into work after leaving the apartment, walking into the station and signing in like any normal day.

"Phil." The receptionist Marie said at the front desk.

"Yeah?" Punk said, putting the pen down.

"How is April?" Marie asked sweetly. She was slightly older and just a receptionist.

"She's fine." Punk nodded, "Just taking a personal day." Punk smiled to her as Marie nodded.

"I think she's a very brave woman." Marie said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I do too." Punk smiled to her, walking off into the station where the vibe was surprisingly normal. No one was staring or doing anything abnormal.

He walked over his desk where his friends of course gathered over to him.

"Hey, man." Seth said, "Where's AJ?" He asked as Punk took a seat at his desk.

"She's taking a personal day." Punk told them as they nodded.

"Did you know?" Dean asked, "About the bipolar disorder?"

"Yeah." Punk said, "Yeah, I knew."

"How long for?" Dean asked.

"For as long as I've known her, I guess." Punk nodded, "Look, the last thing she needs is everyone making a big deal about it."

"Well that's what we came over to talk to you about." Seth said, "Everyone's… taking it as a positive actually. People are admiring her. No one has anything bad to say about her here. We're a family." Seth nodded as Punk looked around at everyone who was minding their own business.

"Good." Punk nodded, "Because she really doesn't need all of this."

"No one has anything bad to say about it." Dean said, "Make sure she knows that. She shouldn't be afraid to come to her work."

"She's not." Punk said, "She just has off days." He explained, "It was just something she held close to her and she doesn't like the idea of everybody knowing." He said, "I mean… how did the guy even find out anyway?"

"Maybe he overheard you or Eve." Seth said, "Eve did tell me that he came onto AJ one time but she was with Jacob at the time, and she obviously turned him down. He was probably just getting his own back." Seth said as Punk shook his head.

"If he knew what was good for him he'd stay well clear of April, and me." Punk said.

"Just calm down." Seth said, "Look around. Nothing has changed. Everyone just respects AJ even more." He said as Punk nodded, "Tell her she has nothing to worry about, and we're looking forward to seeing her tomorrow." He said as Dean nodded.

"Thanks." Punk smiled, watching as they walked off back to their own desks.

* * *

Throughout the course of the day, Punk was blown away by how many people approached him and told him to tell AJ how inspired they were and how much they admired her for doing such an intense job whilst keeping a disorder such as a bipolar one at bay. People seemed way more accepting than what Punk had ever thought, but then again, he didn't expect them to throw things at her and shout abuse. He only wished AJ had come into work to see how receipting people actually were.

He finished up with his work for the day and headed home, parking outside the apartment block, about to get out and head to the apartment, when he sat thinking to himself.

He got out of the car and travelled around to the trunk, opening it up and picking up the folder, shutting the trunk over and walking into the apartment block where he made his way up to their apartment.

He walked on in, closing the door over as Ace immediately jumped up on him.

"Hi, boy." Punk greeted, scratching the dog's head as he bounced excitedly beside him for a few minutes.

Punk walked around to the kitchen where he found AJ standing at the stove stirring a pot of soup.

"Hey, we're just in from a walk-" AJ turned around, looking at him standing with her sister's folder in his hands.

"I shouldn't have to take this from you just to prove a point." Punk said, "I'm not… I'm not your dad. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I just… I just don't wanna see you break down over this like last time." He said, "So… here." He extended the folder to her as she slowly took it from him, holding it close to her like he had just gave her one million dollars, "Please promise me that… you won't do anymore digging?" He said as she looked across at him and nodded. He didn't want to treat her like a kid and take the folder from her just to prove his point. He wanted her to have the folder, and know herself that it was wrong to dig into things.

"I promise." AJ nodded, "I don't wanna fight." She shook her head, placing the folder down on the table, "I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure I'm not… digging into things I shouldn't be. I just have to… learn to accept it." AJ said, "And it's not gonna be easy but I'll learn." She nodded.

She'd had the full day to think about everything that was going on. Although she was feeling pretty down, she'd done what she could to lift her own spirits. She took a relaxing bath, ran about with Ace in the park, looked up a new recipe to make soup. It might have seemed like ordinary things to the average person, but on her off days it was hard to complete simple tasks like that, and she was doing all she could to lift her spirits and look to the bright side.

"And I'll be here to help you. When you're feeling the need to look into things, tell me… I'm sure we could… figure it out together. I'm here for you." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"I know." AJ said, "It was so wrong of me to shout at you for… for just trying to take care of me. I guess I've not been used to someone paying that much attention to what I do. I got away with it when I was with Jacob." She shrugged.

"Well not with me." Punk smirked to her as she smiled, "We good?" He winked to her as she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly as they embraced one another tightly.

"I've just been thinking all day." AJ admitted, pulling back from the hug, "Thinking about how stupid it was for me to be mad at you."

"It wasn't stupid." Punk said, "I probably could have gone about it in a different way." He admitted, "But you'll figure it out. With time, you won't feel like you have to keep digging into things. I know it doesn't feel like a choice for you anymore but it will be, and you'll choose to move on. I'll help you." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"Thank you." AJ whispered as he smiled, "Do I wanna know how work was?" AJ asked. Of course, the biggest thing that had been on her mind was the thought of her entire work place now knowing the secret that she'd held so close to her for so long.

"April, I wish you were there." Punk said, "People… people are so accepting of it. I never thought they wouldn't, but… so many people came to me and told me to tell you how much they admire you." He said as AJ raised her eyebrows, "There was no… no weird vibes, no one was talking about it, everyone was really respectful."

"You're not just saying that, are you?" AJ questioned.

"No, I'm serious." Punk nodded, "Whatever Bill was trying to achieve, didn't work. Everyone is just… going about their own business." He said.

"Really?" AJ smiled, "No one's talking about it?" AJ asked self-consciously.

"No." Punk shook his head with a small smile, "Don't be so frightened." He said, cupping her cheek as she rested into his hand with a smile.

She never assumed that everyone would turn on her as such, but she did think people would be talking about it, but apparently, they weren't. Apparently, they were all very accepting and were moving on from it already. That meant a lot to AJ, especially when it was a secret that she felt was so important to her. Having people so relaxed about it gave her so much ease.

"I'm glad I'm not the talk of the station." AJ smiled to herself.

"You're not. Trust me." Punk smiled. He knew how reserved AJ was, and he understood how much of a big deal it was for that secret to come out the way it did, but people weren't making fun of her or talking about her like she thought, and he knew that lifted a weight from her shoulders, "So what are you poisoning me with tonight?" He asked her, walking over to the stove and looking around as she smiled.

"Soup." AJ said, "I actually had a pretty good day." She said as he turned to her with a smile, "I had a bath with those candles you bought me. I caught up with some finance stuff. Then I took Ace to the park and I came back and started making this." She smiled.

"So, a ten out of ten day?" Punk smiled.

"Well, let's not be too optimistic." AJ smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "But yeah, clearing my head for the day was good for me. Ace was flirting with a girl dog at the park." She informed him as he looked over at Ace who was laid out after the run around at the park.

"That's my boy." Punk nodded as AJ smiled.

"This will be ready soon." AJ nodded to the soup.

"Oh, goodie." Punk smiled sarcastically as she shoved him playfully, "Let me go shower. I'll only be five minutes." He said, pecking her on the lips and walking off into their bedroom to shower whilst AJ looked over at the folder sitting on the kitchen table.

She walked over to it, grazing her hand down the spine of the folder and sighing to herself. She promised Punk. He trusted her to put her health before her urge, and she was gonna try and learn to do that.

She picked up the folder, opening up one of the kitchen cupboards and sliding it to the back, closing the door over and taking a deep breath. She had to learn to move on. There was so much good in her life at the minute. She had to teach herself to embrace that and forget about her sister's unsolved case.

* * *

"Mmm… baby, that feels so good." AJ moaned, her arms around her boyfriend's neck as Punk thrust into her, his hands at either side of her head whilst he slid in and out of her with ease. There was nothing he loved more than watching her expressions during sex and making her feel great.

He leaned down and kissed her neck, continuing to thrust into her as she rolled her head back.

"Fuck." Punk whispered to himself, feeling his own release spiralling up his body, lifting his head back up from her neck as he looked into her eyes, those beautiful chocolate brown eyes that made him melt.

"I'm gonna cum, baby." AJ nodded, locking her legs around him, "I'm gonna cum." She whispered as he smiled, tangling his hand down between them and playing with her clit, massaging it in circles as she writhed underneath him, "Phil!" AJ moaned, "Baby, that's it." She rolled her head back, feeling herself reach her orgasm, her whole-body shuddering underneath his as she gave him everything he sought. A wave of pleasure electrified her body and she stiffened in pleasure under him whilst he continued to thrust into her to find his own release.

He pulled out of her once he reached his release, spilling himself on her stomach whilst groaning at every spurt that he let go of.

She watched him with desire as he collapsed down beside her, looking down at her stomach and smirking as she swiped her finger across some of the fluid he had left, placing her finger in her mouth to suck on it as he watched her with a smirk.

"Thank you for that." AJ whispered as he laughed lightly.

"You don't have to thank me." He smirked as she smiled, both of them regaining their natural breathing patterns.

She leaned over and grabbed a tissue from her night stand, cleaning the rest of her stomach and throwing the tissue into the trash so she could cuddle into him.

"Who do you think told him?" AJ asked in a whisper, curling into him as he wrapped his arm around her.

"The only thing that I can think of… is maybe he overheard me and Eve talking. I was talking to her about us having a fight. I had to… I had to vent to someone." Punk said as AJ nodded, "But I don't remember anyone being that close to us at the time." He admitted.

"I guess it doesn't matter." AJ said, "Jokes on him."

"Exactly." Punk said, "You have nothing to worry about. Everyone was great today… and-and we're a family." Punk nodded, "I never assumed that people would take it negatively."

"I know but I guess I had my thoughts." She nodded. The day had started off with her waking up feeling so much weight on her shoulders, but it had ended with her feeling positive. It wasn't a regular occurrence for that to happen, but having some alone time to think, and then having Punk to talk to was almost therapeutic for her in some form.

"Everything will be fine." He promised, kissing her head as she smiled, placing her hand on his stomach, pushing it down under the sheets as she began stroking him again as he smiled to himself, "Yeah?" Punk turned down to her as she nodded, leaning up and pressing a deep kiss on his mouth whilst stroking him up and down with her hand, pulling away and disappearing under the sheets as he rolled his head back.

Meanwhile not far away in an apartment, Jacob had sat down with Bill who had come to deliver the news that a mental health disorder wasn't going to ruin AJ's job, in fact, she was getting more praise for it, and that made Jacob mad.

"You're never gonna catch her out." Bill said, "She's too smart. If you wanna ruin her relationship you're gonna needa do it another way."

"I'm not trying to ruin her relationship." Jacob spat, "I'm trying to ruin her career."


	22. Sniffed Out

**Sniffed Out**

* * *

"C'mon, keep up!" AJ shouted on Ace who was running behind her as she jogged through the park.

It was a month later and things had settled down. When AJ returned to work, she was happily surprised at how normal everything was. People of course approached her, but they had nothing but lovely things to say to her, and she was feeling the love. She always said the station was the closest thing to a family she'd ever had.

She was keeping on top of her health as usual and hadn't looked at her sister's case for a whole month. Her motivation to try and move on and accept that she didn't need to find justice to be at peace was strong, and she was really trying hard.

She normally started off every morning going out a jog with Ace. Sometimes Punk would join her, other times he'd just grumble and turn over in bed. Either way, she enjoyed the fresh air, and… Ace had finally learned how to go on walks without his leash, and kept beside AJ and Punk at all times.

To sum up, things were going out, work was as stressful but manageable as usual, her relationship with Punk was really blossoming, and she was keeping on top of her health. She always knew that there would be bad days and really good days, she'd accepted that, but just to keep a balance and use different methods of her own to help her health was important to her.

"Alright, fine." AJ said, beginning to walk instead of running as Ace walked beside her, both of them finishing off their morning jog by briskly walking for the last five minutes.

She paused when she saw Jacob sitting on a park bench reading a newspaper. He normally didn't spend his time at parks at 6am when he was home, and it confused her. She wanted to just pass by, but she felt like it was rude. Thankfully he noticed her too and stood up.

"Hey." AJ greeted, pausing as Ace stood beside her.

"New pet?" Jacob smiled, looking down at Ace who was sitting close to AJ.

"Yeah. He's from the K-9 unit." AJ nodded, "Well he was." She said, "What are you doing here?" AJ asked him.

"Well my flight was delayed." Jacob said, "So I… parked my car." He pointed over to the sidewalk where his car was parked, "And I figured I'd come read the newspaper with my coffee. It's a great morning." He shrugged as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "Back to work?" She questioned.

"Yeah, well you know me." Jacob smiled, "Listen, I just wanted to say I was sorry for the way I flipped out on you… you know, about you and Phil." Jacob said as AJ nodded, "If he cares about you, and he's treating you right… that's all I care about." Jacob nodded as AJ smiled to him.

"Thanks." AJ nodded, "He's great. Really great." AJ said, "And I know it's really soon, that must have been hard for you to see me with him… especially so quickly but… things just happened and… we're together." She shrugged simply as Jacob nodded.

"And I'm happy for you." Jacob nodded, "How is the job going?" He asked her.

"Great." AJ smiled, "Just the usual, I guess." She nodded.

"And your health?" Jacob asked, showing simple and civil interest in her, which he barely showed when they were together, but AJ appreciated it.

"My health is good." AJ smiled, "Probably the best it's ever been." She said.

"That's good to hear." Jacob nodded, "Well, I'll let you finish your walk." He insisted, patting Ace's head, "I'm sure this guy is eager."

"He always is." AJ smiled, "It was nice to speak to you." AJ nodded.

"You too." Jacob smiled as AJ headed on by with Ace trotting beside her.

* * *

Later that day, AJ and Punk were at work when they were called out to chase down a suspect who was on foot. They grabbed their things and got in the car and sped off in the direction that they were told to go.

"We've got him blocked off at one end, he'll probably turn into a lane. You're gonna need to get him on foot." The radio broadcast said in their car as Punk turned to AJ who nodded.

"You get a head start. I'll turn in." Punk told her, stopping the car as AJ got out with her gun, running off down the street as Punk took a turn in the car, barricading their suspect in at all angles possible.

AJ of course had her bullet proof vest on, and was running as fast as she could in the direction she was being informed of through the walkie talkie that was clipped onto her. She soon enough got the suspect in eye sight and when she noticed he had nowhere to go, she took her opportunity.

"Freeze!" AJ yelled, holding her gun up, "Turn around." She said, watching the man turn around, "On your knees. Hands behind your back." She said, keeping her gun raised at his direction. From what she could see he wasn't armed with any weapons, until she watched him look around, noticing it was just him and one cop.

AJ watched as he pulled a knife out of his pocket, "Drop it!" AJ yelled, "Stay where you are." She said, watching as the man suddenly moved towards her.

She pulled the trigger on her gun, aimed at his knee, but… nothing happened. No bullet left the gun, and she immediately realised she had to fight this man. Luckily, she'd spent a long time in her profession of fighting off thugs and criminals and managed to fight him off, getting the knife from him and pinning him to the ground (after kicking him a few times) and handcuffing him whilst she saw Punk run up to her from a side alley.

"My fucking gun didn't have any bullets in it!" AJ yelled angrily, not at him but the situation she was in, letting Punk take over as he pulled their guy up to his feet, other cops joining them as Punk let them take away the suspect in cuffs.

"What do you mean?" Punk said as AJ picked her gun up, "It's always fully loaded."

"Yeah, and it was this morning." AJ spat, "Unless I've been shooting people that I didn't know about." She said angrily, "He fucking came at me." She spat angrily, throwing the gun off a dumpster.

"Alright, calm down." Punk told her, "He came at you? Did he hurt you?" He asked.

"No, of course he didn't. But he could have." She pointed to the knife on the ground, "A few kicks in the face and he was done. But that's not the point." She said.

"So do you think someone switched your gun?" Punk asked.

"No. No, that's my gun. I know my own gun. Someone must have taken the ammunition from it." She shook her head.

"Ok, just walk it off. C'mon." Punk said as AJ picked up her gun, "Hey, we got a knife down here for evidence." Punk spoke into his walkie talkie, "C'mon, let's go." He said to AJ, placing his hand at the small of her back as they walked back to their car whilst other cops came through to pick the knife up for evidence.

* * *

"Hey, you ok now?" Punk asked later that day walking into AJ's office. She had to go cool down after today's chase and the incident with her gun, so she went to her office to catch up on some cases whilst Punk stayed out on the beat.

"Yeah, I'm ok." AJ nodded, "I must have… I must have used all my bullets up." AJ shook her head, "I'm positive I checked this morning but… I don't know, maybe I'm thinking of another time." She shrugged.

"As long as you're ok." Punk nodded as she nodded back, "You don't need a gun to protect yourself." He said with confidence. She might have been smart, but she was also a very fierce individual with great fighting skills.

"What if he had a gun though?" AJ questioned, "Could have shot me right there on the spot." AJ shook her head.

"Well let's not think about that." Punk said, refusing to even think about that scenario, "He's in custody now, thanks to you."

"Good. Keep him there." AJ said, "I'm just finishing up here and then I'm good to go." She nodded to him.

"Ok. I'll get you out in the car." He said, walking out of the office and out of the station to his car.

AJ finished up what she was doing and gathered her things together before leaving the station, signing out and joining Punk in the car.

All the while Bill opened up his desk drawer, looking at the ammunition he had taken from AJ's fun earlier on in the day.

* * *

AJ and Punk had gotten home, tiredly walking through the door after a long day, greeting Ace who seemed overly excited and bouncy to see them.

"Hi, boy." AJ smiled, putting her things down on the kitchen table, crouching down to Ace and clapping him, kissing him and hugging him as Punk smiled, "Do you want your dinner?" She asked the dog who bounced up and down.

"Do you want your dinner?" Punk asked her as she smiled whilst giving Ace his dinner, "I'll whip us something up." Punk said, placing his sidearm down on the table along with his other things, unbuttoning the two top buttons of his black shirt and starting to turn pots and pans on to make them something for dinner.

"I think I'm gonna take a shower whilst you're doing us dinner." AJ said, coming up behind him and kissing his back as he nodded, "Unless you wanna wait and have one after dinner with me?" She questioned.

"What do you think my answer will be?" Punk turned around to her as she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he placed his hands on either side of her small waist, "You ok? After today?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm ok." AJ smiled, "Careless, I guess." She nodded, "But I'm ok." She nodded, leaning up and pressing her lips against his softly, enjoying a sweet kiss, but not for long as they both jumped when Ace started barking, louder than usual.

"What is it?" AJ turned around to their dog who looked at them both, standing firm and barking loudly, "Oh, c'mon, Ace. He's just kissing me." AJ smiled, knowing the dog to get a little jealous and protective over her. But Punk knew there was something up.

"No, he's not right." Punk said, walking over to Ace, "What is it, bud?" Punk crouched down to Ace who barked loudly, suddenly running off into their bedroom as Punk turned around to AJ, "Hey, I'm serious." Punk said to AJ who was smiling, assuming Ace was just being his normal self, "Get the gun." He said as AJ grabbed his sidearm from the table, both of them walking slowly into their bedroom where Ace was standing by AJ's bedside table, sniffing around it and barking again.

"What's wrong with him?" AJ whispered to Punk, lowering the gun as Punk walked over to the table.

"What are you trying to tell us, boy? Huh?" Punk said as Ace nudged the night stand with his nose.

AJ watched as Punk opened up the small drawer, raising his eyebrows as he picked up a bag of what was clearly some sort of drugs. AJ shook her head with confusion as Punk looked at the bag of drugs. Whoever thought this dog wasn't trained, clearly wasn't paying enough attention. That didn't take away from the fact that there was a bag of drugs in his girlfriend's night stand drawer.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	23. Similarities Attract

**Similarities Attract**

* * *

Both Punk and AJ stood in their bedroom looking a little perplexed and shocked at the bag of drugs that was in AJ's bedside drawer. It wasn't something that should have been there, obviously, and AJ felt like she had to clear her name immediately.

"They aren't mine, obviously." AJ said.

"I know that." Punk said. He didn't need for her to confirm it. He knew his girlfriend wasn't on drugs. But he couldn't understand why he was here, "Someone has put these here. Someone was in the apartment." Punk nodded to her, walking out of the bedroom and over to the kitchen where he sat the bag of drugs down on the table.

AJ followed out with folded arms, "I can speak to the buildings supervisor and ask for the CCTV. We'll be able to see who came in." AJ nodded.

"Why is someone putting drugs in your drawer, though?" Punk asked, "I don't get it." He looked across at her.

"Neither do I." AJ said, "One thing we do know is… Ace isn't dumb." She looked over at the dog who was lying at the bedroom door.

"You're damn right he's not." Punk nodded, "You wanna bone, Ace?" Punk said as Ace stood up and ran over to him, "Yeah, you're a good boy. You get a bone." He said, opening up the dog drawer and getting one of the smaller bones out, lowering it to Ace who took it gently and ran off.

"I'll call Garry. He should still be in his office." AJ said as she reached for her phone, walking away to call the buildings supervisor.

Luckily, he was still in his office, and AJ and Punk left the apartment to go downstairs and visit his office where the cameras were, amongst all his tools and appliances.

"Hey, Garry. Sorry it's so late." AJ apologised as they walked into his office.

"Anything for you, Miss April." Garry smiled, a stocky, cheerful man said as Punk gave him a little look of disapproval.

"You didn't happen to give anyone a key to my place today? Because it's not like our door has been kicked in or anything. Someone has literally walked right in." AJ said.

"I'm not allowed to give out keys to anyone without your permission." Garry said, standing at the back of the office as AJ nodded, turning her attention back to the cameras as she fast forwarded them along whilst Punk stood behind her watching, both of them keeping their eyes out for anyone approaching their apartment door.

"There." Punk pointed as AJ paused the cameras and looked at the man walking into their apartment.

"I can't see his face." AJ sighed.

"Rewind it back to where he came into the block." Punk pointed to the other camera angle which was from the camera that looked out onto the street.

AJ rewound it back, stopping when the same man going into their apartment could be seen coming into the apartment block, and she couldn't believe her eyes.

"What the hell?" AJ shook her head, looking up at Punk who was turning read, like a cartoon character with steam coming from his ears, "Why is Jacob putting drugs in my drawer?" She spat, "I guess it makes sense… he still has a key." AJ nodded.

"Well get your things we're gonna go talk to him and arrest him on possession of drugs." Punk said, leaving the small office as AJ stood up.

"Thanks, Garry." AJ smiled to the building supervisor as she dashed after Punk up the stairs.

"Phil, wait a minute." AJ called out to her boyfriend who was practically climbing the stairs four at a time, having already made it up to their apartment, "Phil." She said as she walked into their apartment, "Calm down for a second." She told him, watching him over at the table where he was strapping on his sidearm, hooking his handcuffs onto his belt, "Phil!" She yelled to finally get his attention as he turned around, "You can't just… go and arrest him." AJ shook her head.

"Yes I can." Punk nodded, "We've got the evidence. Why the hell is he putting drugs in your drawer? Why the hell is he breaking into our apartment?" He said just as there was a knock at the front door.

"Just wait." AJ put her hand up, keeping him calm as she walked over to the apartment door where two police officers from the station stood, "Oh, what? What is it?" AJ sighed, of course work had to come up right now.

"Uh… April, we've been called here on the suspicion of drug use." One of them said as AJ folded her arms.

"Really?" AJ made a face at them whilst Punk walked over to them.

"What's going on?" Punk said.

"They were called out here, to look at my apartment, on the suspicion of drug use." AJ smiled to Punk who turned back to the rookie cops standing.

"Are you two fucking kidding me?" Punk said, "Get the fuck out of here." He waved them off.

"We're just doing our job. You know that." One of them said as Punk nodded.

"I do, but we're doing it too. We're taking care of it. Go… eat a donut or something." Punk told them, waving his hand away at them and closing the door over, turning to AJ who nodded.

"He's trying to ruin my career." AJ said.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Planting the drugs." AJ said, "Then having cops come out here on the suspicion of drug use so they could find the drugs and suspend me until I have a hearing… or just… fire me on the spot." AJ said.

"Well that's not happening." Punk said, "Get your things, we're going to have a little chat with him." Punk said as AJ nodded, being persuaded now as she saw how things made sense and what Jacob was trying to achieve. She was actually feeling hurt by his actions and what he was trying to do. He knew how much her job meant to her, and to purposely go out of his way to try and ruin that for her, it hurt her, but she supposed that's what he was wanting all along.

* * *

Punk and AJ left the apartment and drove to Jacob's new place, about to get out when AJ stopped him.

"Wait a minute…" AJ put her hand on Punk's arm, stopping him from getting out, "He'll be out of town. I met him this morning at the park. He was getting on a flight today."

"You met him?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah when I was out with Ace. He was nice to me and he was… acting like we were civil." AJ shook her head, "But I guess that was just a front."

"It's worth a try." Punk said, getting out of the car and walking up the steps to the house as AJ followed.

Punk knocked on the door lightly, not initiating that it was the police. He was here as AJ's boyfriend more than he was here as a police officer. He was angry at the thought of someone messing with AJ like this, and risking her career like this, and he was gonna set it straight.

Thankfully, a light turned on and Jacob answered the door, opening it slowly and pausing once he saw who it was, about to close it over when Punk put his foot in the door and burst it open, causing Jacob to stumble back a little.

"We just wanna chat." Punk told him as AJ stood in the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Chat? Chat about what?" Jacob laughed, acting as calm as he could, walking into the living room as AJ and Punk followed, "Is everything ok?"

"I thought you were a smart guy." Punk said, "But I guess you lie for a living, and you con people. Don't you?"

"Excuse me." Jacob hissed angrily.

"Excuse _me_!" Punk yelled back, "You broke into our apartment today and you put a bag of drugs in AJ's drawer. Then you called the cops to rat AJ out into having possession of the drugs, risking her whole career." He spat, "And you planned it all."

"I don't know what you're-"

"We have CCTV footage of you." Punk spat as Jacob gulped, "Yeah. Plan is over." Punk nodded, "You fucked up. Big time."

"Why are you trying to ruin my career, Jacob?" AJ asked, a little calmer than Punk was being, "You know how much it means to me."

"Because you ruined us!" Jacob shouted, "You never gave me a chance."

"I gave you plenty of chances, Jacob." AJ spat, "I even gave you a chance to make things right in the end and you didn't do it. Everything that happened, you brought on yourself." She said.

"I made you happy and you know it." Jacob said, "And you just threw us away like it meant nothing, and hopped into bed with this guy." He pointed to Punk with disgust, "The guy you told me who was fucked up, remember that?" He said as Punk screwed his eyes up, "That's what you told me, April. Don't be shy now. You said the reason you get along with him is because he's just as fucked up as you are." Jacob said as Punk turned to AJ who stood silently glaring at Jacob, "I offered you stability, April." Jacob said, "We were creating a perfect home."

"No." AJ shook her head, "You just wanted me so you could label me as your wife. You barely even touched me." AJ hissed, "I'm sorry you're mad that you fucked up but how dare you think you can fuck up my career just to get back at me."

"I'm all out of attempts anyway." Jacob shook his head.

"What?" Punk gritted his teeth.

"I thought that your bipolar disorder would have everyone questioning your skills. So I paid Bill to spill the beans at your PD dinner." Jacob said as AJ looked across at him in disbelief, "And then I got him to take the ammunition from your gun this morning. Everyone knows there isn't room for careless detectives-"

"She could have fucking died!" Punk yelled, launching himself at Jacob as he topped over him on the floor, punching him repeatedly on the face whilst AJ made her way over to them.

"Phil, stop it!" AJ yelled, pulling Punk from a bloody Jacob, "Stop it!" She screamed at Punk who got up and looked at her, "Just… put him in handcuffs and we'll take him to the station." She shook her head, not even wanting to waste time on him, "I'll call Dean to find Bill." She said as Punk walked over to Jacob and handcuffed him, pulling him up roughly from the ground and pushing him out of the house. Karma was a bitch.

* * *

"Keep them both there and we'll deal with it in the morning." AJ shook her head, getting into her and Punk's apartment after taking Jacob to the station and getting Bill there too. Both would be questioned tomorrow and no doubt about it, Jacob would be arrested for breaking into their home and possession of the drugs themselves. There was no doubt about it that Bill would also lose his job and perhaps gain a charge. And it seemed so petty over something so stupid. He fucked up and this was his guilt starting to show. His jealousy. His anger for not taking advantage of what he had all along, what he had now lost to a man who really took care of her.

She watched as Punk walked into the kitchen and sat his things down. He'd barely said anything to her since they took Jacob into the station. He was annoyingly quiet and she knew he was thinking about things.

"Phil." AJ whispered, creeping up behind him and taking his hand as he snatched it away, "Phil." AJ said with shock.

"I'm going to bed." Punk informed her casually.

"What's wrong with you?" AJ shook her head, "Is it your hand?" She asked, looking down at his bloody knuckles which had punched Jacob several times.

"No, my hand is fine." Punk said, "Just a little fucked up I guess." He nodded to her as she sighed.

"Phil… that was never what I meant-"

"Goodnight." Punk nodded to her, walking by her and into their bedroom, closing the door over as she sighed, sitting down at the table and placing her hands in her hair.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	24. Park Shoot Out

**Park Shoot Out**

* * *

"Phil." AJ said softly, walking into her and Punk's bedroom, watching him strip his shirt off, "Can you let me talk?" She asked, closing their bedroom door over.

"It's late. We've had a long day." Was all Punk replied.

"I don't care." AJ shook her head, "I never used those words. I never… I never said you were fucked up. He chose to say that." AJ said, walking over to him as he paused and looked across at her, looking her in the eyes.

"Whatever." Punk shook his head.

"No. Don't whatever me." AJ said, taking hold of the bottom of his arms, running her hands down his colourful arms all the way until she took hold of his hands, "I always said that… we got along so well because we had similar struggles in life. Similar family problems. Not really knowing where to fit in, in life." AJ nodded, "I never once said you were fucked up like me." AJ said, "You were my best friend. Why would I say that?" AJ shook her head, looking up at him as he looked down at her.

"It's true, though." Punk shrugged, "You don't need to soften it to make it sound nicer."

"It's not true. You're not fucked up." AJ said, angry that he thought that, "Trust me, you're one of the least fucked up people I know." She said, "You're so important to me, and everything you've had to go through whether it be… family problems or personal problems, it's made you who you are today, and I love who you are." She nodded, "Don't let Jacob get into your head. He's not worth it."

"He tried to ruin your career." Punk said angrily, sitting down on the edge of their bed as she sat down beside him, "I never knew he was that… heartbroken from your break up."

"Neither did I." AJ admitted, "I didn't think he'd go to that sort of length to try and ruin something he knows I love." AJ said, "I'm assuming that's why he done it. He knows how much I love my job. How much it means to me." She shook her head, "Losing my job would be… like losing a part of my soul." She said as he turned to her, "I know, right?" She laughed a little, "I know I'm meant to hate my job. Sometimes I do." She admitted, "But it's what keeps me going." She shrugged, watching him looking down at the ground, "You keep me going." She nodded as he smiled, turning back around to her.

"You're just about the only good thing that's happened in my life." He said, "I feel like I have a home here with you." He admitted, "And I don't wanna mess that up."

"You won't." AJ placed her hand on his thigh, "You're stuck with me whether you like it or not." She smiled as he laughed lightly, "You believe I never said you were fucked up, right?"

"Yeah. Of course, I believe you." Punk smiled.

"I would never say that about you." She said, placing her hand on his cheek as he smiled, "I can't tell anyone they're fucked up with the life I've lived." She chuckled a little.

"You're not fucked up either." Punk assured her, "There's no such thing as a perfect life. We should know that better than anyone, given what we've dealt with in the past at work and personally." He said as she nodded in agreement.

"I think I'm gonna get someone else to deal with Jacob and Bill." AJ admitted, "I have more important things to do. I'll do whatever I have to do, say whatever I have to say… but I'm not wasting my time." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"They don't deserve your time." Punk said, "Scum." He muttered as AJ smiled a little. She did love how protective he was over her, but that wasn't something that had just appeared since they began dating months ago, it was something that was always there. He was always very protective of her, and that was nice.

"Do you want some ice for your hand?" AJ asked, looking down at his bruised knuckles.

"I'll be ok." Punk brushed it off.

"Will I kiss it better?" AJ smiled as he laughed lightly.

"If you insist." Punk nodded as she took his hand, kissing his tattooed knuckles as he smiled, "It already feels better." He said after she placed her lips on the bruised flesh.

"Healing lips." AJ nodded.

"Mhm." Punk smiled, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers, running his fingers through her silky hair as she deepened the kiss. They were beginning to realise quickly that even though they were still so early into dating, that things really weren't just a normal relationship. This was the first time they'd both felt real connection, and it was becoming more apparent that they were each other's worlds as they days went by.

* * *

The next day, Punk and AJ were at work and AJ spent as little time as she possibly could be dealing with Jacob and Bill. Once she'd given her own evidence, which was strange considering she was normally on the opposite side of the table, receiving the evidence, she was back to her office and working on things that mattered to her. She wasn't going to let Jacob get to her head. His attempts had failed. Her job was circled around being two steps ahead, so why he thought he could outsmart her and set her up was beyond her.

Meanwhile Punk was sitting at his desk with Dean sitting beside discussing the whole Jacob incident. Punk was just trying to laugh about it at this point considering everything backfired on Jacob's face, and he was most definitely facing charges. Not to mention Bill had been fired for taking the ammunition from AJ's gun.

"Looks like he finally realised how good AJ was then." Dean shrugged.

"Well it's too late." Punk said, "He had his chance and he blew it." He said.

"How are you and AJ?" Dean asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" Punk turned to him.

"You know… your relationship… how is it going?" Dean asked as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, good." Punk smiled, "She gets me. I think more than I get myself sometimes." He admitted, "But we're good. I had my doubts at the start I guess. I didn't know if us being such close friends would have ruined it but… I think it made things better." He admitted.

"You're both good together." Dean nodded, "She keeps you on your toes."

"She definitely does." Punk laughed to himself, "Hey, listen… I know it's Seth's birthday coming up soon and I was thinking we just go out the five of us. Nothing too big." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"Yeah, whatever man. Time and a place and I'll be there." Dean nodded.

"What are you two talking about?" Seth joined them at the opposite side of Punk.

"Your birthday." Punk said, "We figured we just got out the five of us-"

"I'm going away with Eve for the week." Seth said as Punk and Dean's face dropped, "Sorry." He laughed a little, "I thought I told you. We're going to her parent's lake house."

"You never said." Punk shook his head.

"I did. You two don't listen to anything I say." Seth said as Punk just rolled his eyes.

* * *

"We always celebrate each other's birthdays." Punk complained later that night, out a walk with AJ and Ace through the park. AJ's arm was linked through Punks as she leaned into him as they walked behind Ace who had to stop and sniff at everything. They would normally take him out once they got home from work and then make dinner when they got back.

"If it makes you feel any better, we could get him back and I'll take you away for the week for your birthday." AJ smiled up at him as he smirked.

"That's not a bad idea." Punk agreed.

"We could do something before they go." AJ said, "Don't get so wound up about it." She laughed a little.

"I'm not." Punk said, "We just… never miss birthdays." He shrugged, "Anyway, what happened with Jacob and Bill today?"

"Jacob is being annoyingly easy to talk with. He's agreeing to everything. He'll have to go to court and get a sentence soon. Bill the same for assisting him." AJ said, "I don't… I don't even care what happens to them. I just want them to leave me alone."

"Well, they will if they're locked up." Punk smirked a little.

"Stop taking so much joy out of this." AJ smiled up at him.

"Well it serves him right." Punk said, "Finally realised what he had and how amazing you were. This is how he shows his guilt. He's mad at himself." Punk nodded, "Fuck him." He muttered.

"Forget about him." AJ said, "Everyone gets what they deserve." She said as Punk nodded.

"They do." Punk nodded, "I can't believe it was Ace who showed us." Punk laughed a little as he watched the dog lift his leg at a bench in front, doing his business and trotting on by again.

"He's a good dog." AJ smiled, "I feel like a proud mom."

"Dog mom." Punk said almost immediately as she nodded, "He has personality too."

"That's probably why the K-9 unit thought he wasn't trainable." AJ said, "Our boy is proving them wrong." She smiled to herself as she watched Ace trot in front of them happily. She was so glad they took him in. He was part of the family now and not only was he fun and playful, he was also a very good guard dog and protector, as well as being extremely trainable with a bit of patience.

"You don't happen to wanna just… grab a pizza on the way home?" Punk asked her as she laughed a little.

"It's like you're in my brain. I was just gonna ask you the same thing." She smiled as they continued to walk down the dark park. It was late and dark but people were still out. Possibly going home from work, or walking their dogs like they were.

Punk and AJ weren't paying attention much to their surroundings, and were lost in their own conversation when they heard a very loud and near gun shot, watching suddenly as the woman riding by them on her bike collapsed in a bloody heap.

Punk immediately looked around and saw a man running off with his hood up. He didn't even have to say to AJ. They communicated without speaking. Punk ran off to go after the guy with Ace following him and sprinting after whilst AJ kneeled down to the woman who was bleeding.

She called an ambulance and took off her jacket, scrunching it up and pressing it against the woman's gunshot wound. She wasn't responsive, so AJ took out her purse and grabbed her wallet, trying to look for some sort of ID whilst applying pressure to the wound. She opened up the wallet and saw pictures of two little girls, shaking her head and trying to find the name.

"Dawn?" AJ turned to the woman who was struggling tremendously, "Dawn I'm a police officer, it's going to be ok." AJ nodded, keeping pressure on the wound whilst others around tried to do anything they could, "Keep your eyes opened for me, Dawn." AJ said, trying to keep her voice loud for the woman to follow it, but AJ knew she was losing her very quickly, there was no way an ambulance was going to get to her in time, and so AJ took her hand and made sure she didn't feel alone.

And she knew… she knew this woman wasn't supposed to get that bullet. She knew her and Punk were on target for it, she just happened to ride by them at the wrong time.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	25. In The Family

**In The Family**

* * *

After running around all of town with Ace beside him, Punk lost the hooded man and eventually gave up after feeling like he was going to collapse.

He walked back to the park with Ace, catching his breath as he saw the spot where the woman had been shot was taped off, and a body bag was being wheeled away. He sighed to himself, looking over at AJ sitting on the nearest bench, her hands and t-shirt covered in blood, holding her jacket out that she had pressed against the woman's shot wound.

Ace ran fast to AJ once spotting her, rubbing against her legs and nudging her as AJ smiled at him, but didn't clap him since her hands were all blood.

"Hey." Punk said, still a little out of breath, taking a seat beside her as AJ sighed, "Not good news, huh?" Punk asked as she shook her head.

He watched as AJ reached beside her, opening up the wallet that belonged to the woman, showing it to Punk as he looked on at the picture of two young girls. They both had to be below the age of five for sure.

Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"She wasn't supposed to get that bullet." AJ shook her head. She'd seen things like this before throughout her career, but the more and more times it happened, the harder it got to comprehend, especially when it was her and Punk that were supposed to be on the receiving end of the bullet.

"You done… everything you could." Punk said, placing his hand on her lap as AJ sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hey, you guys." Seth walked over to them, "We're gonna have to talk to you both."

"We'll just talk here." Punk nodded, "There's nothing really to say. We were walking. A gun shot was fired at us and a woman went by on her bike to take the bullet for us." He said, "I ran after the guy. He was dressed in black. Hood was up. Average height." Punk nodded, "But I lost him. Ape stayed here and helped the woman." Punk said, "And that's it." He said as Punk nodded.

"Here." AJ said, putting the woman's wallet back in her purse and handing it to Seth, "There's ID in here for her. I think she has two little girls so… let's make this as simple and as easy for her family as possible." AJ said as Seth nodded, taking the purse from her.

"You two should get home." Seth said, "We'll call you tomorrow with any leads." He said whilst AJ just stared into space, leaving Punk nodding to Seth.

"Thanks, man." Punk nodded to Seth who walked off to the others cops who were gathered, "C'mon, let's go home." Punk said, taking off his jacket and putting it over AJ's shoulders, standing up and taking her hand as they headed home slowly with Ace.

* * *

When they got home, AJ had gone for a long hot shower. She had to be in there for around an hour, not that Punk was counting. He made them both a sandwich, both of them agreeing that their appetites weren't big, and he also made AJ hot chocolate since she explained to him she couldn't get warm.

Ace had crashed out under the kitchen table. Running around all of town with Punk had taken it out of him.

Punk watched as AJ came out of their bedroom. Her hair was wet and she was wearing one of his t-shirts with a pair of her shorts, "Feel a little better?" Punk asked her as she nodded, "I made you a sandwich. Some hot chocolate." He pointed as she smiled, sitting down across from him at the table.

"I just… can't get it out of my mind." AJ sighed, "I mean… someone was aiming for one of us." AJ said as he nodded, "Why?"

"There could be a lot of possibilities." Punk said, "We might be the quote on quote good guys, but we can still piss people off." He said, "Could be someone we sent away years ago. Or it could just be someone evil who got too excited with a gun." Punk said as AJ sighed, "We'll look into it."

"That poor woman." AJ sighed to herself whilst picking at her sandwich, "Two children don't have a mother now." She said, "That's bullshit." She whispered to herself. Punk always loved how passionate she was about finding those who done wrong, and who took away innocent lives, but it was hard not to.

"They'll get the support they need." Punk sighed, "We just need to… keep our work heads on. We'll find whoever this was. The park has CCTV cameras. Cops are out right now trying to find a guy dressed in all black."

"It's dark. The CCTV cameras won't have picked up much." AJ shook her head, "Do you think it's someone we know?" AJ asked him, pushing her half-eaten sandwich away and focusing on her hot chocolate.

"I don't know, Ape." Punk sighed, "I wish I had the answers you want but… no one finds answers better than you. We'll figure this out together and whoever it is, we'll put them away, just like we do with every other killing scumbag out there." Punk said as AJ nodded, "And we'll get that woman the justice she deserves."

"Her name was Dawn." AJ nodded, "I-I held her hand as she died." She shook her head in disbelief. She'd watched people die in front of her before, it was sometimes something they had to face as a police officer and a detective, and every time it happened it affected AJ that little bit more.

"You were there for her." Punk said, "You didn't make her feel alone and scared." Punk assured her, "You done all you could." He said as AJ nodded, "Come here." He waved her over as she stood up and walked around the table, taking a seat on his lap as his arms circled around her, "You ok?" He asked her softly. He was trying not to think about how he could have lost her tonight or how he could have gotten shot tonight. It was always a scary thought when their lives were on the line, it was something they could never quite get used to even though they'd been in many situations like it. It just seemed a lot scarier now that they had each other.

"What if I lost you?" AJ whispered into his neck sadly, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

"You haven't." Punk kissed her cheek, "I'm right here." He said, "And we're gonna get this scumbag." He nodded to her as she lifted her head and looked into his eyes.

"Don't ever leave me." AJ shook her head. She was always scared of losing him, but even more so now that it was he who held her at night and kept her safe. She didn't know what she'd do without him. He was the stability in her life. The only real love she'd ever felt. She didn't want to be without him.

"I'm not going anywhere." Punk nodded, pressing his lips against her softly as she kissed him back. She'd hold onto him just that little bit tighter tonight.

* * *

The next day they were at work and were trying their best to piece together possible scenarios. AJ spoke to a few witnesses that had saw the man dressed in black running down a street. So far all they had was a white male dressed in black at average height. That wasn't much to work with, but it was getting somewhere they supposed.

"If it was someone trying to shoot either you or AJ, wouldn't it make sense if it was someone you guys knew?" Dean questioned.

"I'm getting the scope on the latest prison releases, see if it matches with anyone me or April sent down in the past." Punk said, "Could be someone looking for revenge. Or it could just be an evil fucker who picked one of us as their target." Punk said, "You know how this city is."

"Yeah, I know." Dean nodded, "Where is AJ?"

"She's talking to a few witnesses right now." Punk said as Dean nodded, "She's a little shaken up, I think. She doesn't wanna admit. You know how strong willed she is but… she seemed shaken by it all."

"Well I don't blame her." Dean sighed, "Poor girl has been through enough. Had her ex try to sabotage her career and now this?" Dean shook his head, "How is her health gonna deal with all of this?" He asked. Obviously, everyone knew about her bipolar disorder, and her close friends were regularly asking how she was.

"She's got a doctor's appointment tonight. Normally when she gets stressed out to an extent, she'll have a few bad days." Punk nodded, "I don't even know if it's wise if she works this case." He said.

"C'mon, we both know who AJ is. She'll be working that case whether you like it or not." Dean nodded as Punk knew that to be true, "She knows her own limits I'm sure." Dean said, "If it's too much, she'd let you know."

"That's the problem, I don't think she would." Punk shook his head, "She takes good care of her health, though. It's not something I worry about." He nodded positively, watching AJ walk out of an interview room, watching as she smiled over to him as he winked back at her.

* * *

Whilst AJ was at her doctor's appointment later that night, Punk had stopped by on his way home from dropping her off to get gas at a gas station. He was filling the tank up when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned around, taking the hose from the gas cap and hooking it back up as he looked on at his mother standing in front of him. His mother hadn't saw in over a year.

"Mom." Punk shook his head, looking across at her with confusion.

"I don't wanna talk to you." His mother, Juliet said, "I tried to call you to let you know but you must have changed your number." She said, "Your brother is out of prison." He said.

"Do you think I care?" Punk asked her as she glared up at him. There was no love there. Punk wasn't sure there was ever any love between them. It was nothing but bad blood.

"Well you should." Juliet said, "Whenever I visited him in prison, the only thing he was concerned about was you, and what you were doing. Of course, I never had any updates for him since I didn't know what you were doing or where you were." She said.

"Why is he concerned about what I'm doing? All I do is work. He knows that." Punk said.

"Well I don't know." Juliet shook her head, "Your father thinks he has something to do with the shooting that took place last night." She shrugged, "He was worried about you. I don't know why he bothers." She remarked as Punk just shook his head.

"Mike doesn't have the balls to attempt something like that." Punk shook his head.

"Prison can change a person." Juliet said, "You should know from the amount of times your father was there." She shook her head.

"Is this all you have to say to me?" Punk asked, "You think Mike is trying to kill me? Why would you even care? It wouldn't make a difference to your life if I was dead or not." He said as Juliet just looked down at the ground, "Can I go pay for my gas now?" He asked her, watching her as she walked off. Sometimes he thought she had problems, but then sometimes he thought she was just stupid and ignorant. There was no way his big brother would be trying to kill him. The hatred wasn't that deep. His mom was just yet again, trying to stir things, trying to get a reaction from him. It didn't work on him anymore.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	26. Lie

**Lie**

* * *

"Hey, how was the doctors?" Punk asked as AJ got home later that night. Punk was sat up on the sofa watching hockey, "I didn't expect you to be so long." He admitted.

"I didn't either." AJ said, placing her bag down on the sofa as Ace greeted her excitedly, "I guess I was just talking a lot. I was telling her everything that happened at the park." She said as Punk nodded, "She said I've to take it slow." She rolled her eyes, sitting down beside him on the couch, "Has he been out?" She asked.

"Yeah. Fed and walked." Punk nodded, "When I came back from taking you to the doctors, I called in for gas at the gas station and… I ran into my mom." Punk said as AJ raised her eyebrows, "Well, I didn't run into her, she came up to me."

"Why?" AJ shook her head, "What did she have to say?"

"She told me that my brother was out of prison and that she thinks… well no, my dad thinks that it was him that tried to take a shot at me at the park." Punk shook his head at the craziness of it all.

"That's crazy." AJ shook her head, "That's all she had to say?"

"Yeah. Then she walked away." Punk shook his head, "She's probably just trying to take a dig at me."

"Could you see your brother doing something like that?" AJ asked him.

"No way." Punk said, "He was in prison for petty stuff. Stuff that caught up to him. He's no killer." Punk shook his head, "He's not smart either. He wouldn't think to wear black or do it at night time or have a quick getaway. He's stupid." Punk spat, "She's doing this to interfere with my life in some way. Even if it's not her. She's just trying to get a reaction from me, and it's not gonna happen." He spat.

"Do you think she just wanted to… try and start a conversation with you?" AJ questioned.

"No. Are you kidding?" Punk laughed, running his hand over his face, "You don't know her. She has no regard for anyone apart from herself." He said.

"So just ignore her then." AJ shrugged, "If you know your brother wouldn't do anything like that, let's just continue to figure it out like we've been doing." She said, taking his hand in hers as he smiled and nodded.

"Do you think it could be him?" He asked.

"Well I don't know him." AJ shrugged, "But I didn't think that blood was that bad between you. If you think it's your mom just trying to mess with you then I think that too. Go with what your gut tells you." She nodded as Punk just sighed, leaning back on the couch.

"I'm just gonna forget about her, like I've always done." He waved his hand, "What else did the doctor say to you?" He asked her, trying to get the focus off of him.

"Oh, nothing much. Nothing out of the usual I guess." AJ leaned back next to him, "I've just to stay on top of my medication, do what I've been doing." She said as Punk nodded.

"We'll get it cleared up just like we normally do." Punk nodded, leaning over and kissing her cheek as she smiled.

* * *

The next day they were both at work. Seth and Eve weren't around since they were off on a getaway for Seth's birthday, and Dean was working a different case, so… in other words, there was no one around to distract Punk, which meant he actually got a chance to sit down and think about things at his desk.

AJ was clearing up her other cases so she could focus on trying to find the man who had taken a shot at them and killed that poor woman riding by. Of course, at the back of her head was Punk's conversation with his mother, and how almost unnecessary it was if there wasn't some truth to it.

She finished up talking to a few witnesses for the morning, locking her office door and heading out, but not before Punk questioned her.

"Where are you going?" Punk asked as she walked by his desk, "You found something?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm gonna… grab some lunch." AJ told him as Punk reached over, taking her gun from her pocket.

"I didn't know ordering a sandwich was a life or death situation." He shook his head, watching as she glanced all over the station wearily.

"Habit." AJ smiled nervously, "Do you want anything?" She asked him, nevertheless, taking her gun back from him.

"No, I'm just finishing up this report." He said, "I'm not hungry." He waved his hand.

"I'll bring you a donut anyway." She smiled to him.

"Us police officers are so interchangeable." Punk shook his head, "I'll see you when you get back." He nodded, tapping her butt playfully and turning back to his desk as she smiled. She desperately wanted to say to him, but she knew he'd go crazy. She knew it wasn't something she should have lied about. She never lied to him. Ever. But she just had to know.

She got in the car and drove to the address she'd gotten. It was an estate house that his brother had just been moved into after his prison release. She'd got his files this morning and was analysing them for most of the morning. She just wanted to rule it out. She didn't believe his own brother would do something like this, but… she didn't know what he was like.

She stood at the front door, knocking a few times until finally a man answered. He didn't really look like his brother. They had the same look across the eyes, but apart from that she couldn't spot any outstanding features they shared.

"Mike Brooks?" AJ asked as the man nodded, "I'm detective Mendez." He said, watching as Mike flinched a little, "Could I come in?" She asked.

"Uh… yeah." Mike said, opening up the door as AJ walked into the house, walking on into the sitting area. The place was pretty run down, but she wasn't there to criticise his home décor, "What's this about?" Mike asked her, "Is this to do with my probation?" He wondered.

"No." AJ shook her head, "No, nothing… nothing to do with that." AJ said, "I promise I won't take up much of your time." She said, "There was a shooting a few nights ago at the park. A woman was killed." AJ said, "I was wondering you knew anything about it."

"Me?" Mike shook his head, "Why would I have anything to do with it?" Mike almost a laughed a little, "Who sent you here?"

"No one." AJ shook her head, "Maybe… Maybe I'm here on a personal level." She shrugged, "I'm AJ. I'm-I'm dating your brother." She said as Mike shook his head with confusion.

"Tell me how that links to me knowing about this woman getting killed?" Mike said, "No offence but I really don't care if you're dating my brother." He said.

"Well… we were there, at the park. The suspect who shot the woman was aiming for one of us." AJ nodded, "Your mother met with Phil last night at a gas station. Not intentionally. She put things in his head that you might have had something to do with it." AJ shook her head.

"Good old mom." Mike nodded, "Does Phil think it was me?" Mike asked.

"He doesn't." AJ said, "But I just wanted to come here to rule it out. I've been thinking about it all night and all morning."

"Me and my brother have never been the best of friends… barely even brothers, but I'd never try and kill him. That's a little bit deep." Mike shook his head, "My mom isn't right in the head. She never has been. Phil should know better than to believe what she says."

"This isn't Phil asking. This is me." AJ said, "Phil doesn't know I'm here."

"Ok, well… you have my word that I had nothing to do with shooting that woman." Mike nodded, "I'm just trying to get my life back together. Why would I risk it all to get put back inside again? Why would I try and kill my own brother?" He asked.

"I-I don't know. I just… I wanted to hear it from you, I guess." AJ shrugged.

"Gotta see it, to believe it?" Mike asked as she nodded, "Hey, that's no problem. I just hope you find whoever did it." He nodded.

"We're working on it." AJ nodded, "I'm sorry for wasting your time." AJ shook her head, feeling a little foolish now that she hadn't just believed her boyfriend's instincts.

"I'm not." Mike edged a smirk as AJ just looked down at the ground, making her way out of the house to the front door as he followed behind, "How is he?" Mike asked.

"He's good." AJ nodded briefly, "Just… Just forget I came here." AJ said, tucking her hair behind her ear, stepping out of the house and turning back to him, "I just… I was just-"

"Being a cop?" Mike smirked, "I get it. You do what you gotta do. Just… don't believe anything my mom says. Little tip for you." He winked as AJ turned away from him. He did bring a lot of bad vibes her way, but he seemed pretty harmless.

"Thanks." AJ nodded casually, walking down the rest of the steps and heading back to the car whilst Mike closed over his front door. He walked through to the kitchen, grabbing his black hoodie and pants, walking outside into the garden, throwing the clothes in the empty trash can, followed by lighting the lot on fire.

* * *

When AJ got back to the station, she saw Punk wasn't at his desk, but instead was in her office sitting behind her desk. She'd still gone to get herself lunch and a donut for him, not to cover her tracks, but because she genuinely was hungry.

"What are you doing in here?" AJ laughed lightly, closing the office door over and sitting the brown paper bag with the food in it on her desk.

"How was my brother?" Punk asked calmly as she looked across at him.

"How did you know?" AJ sighed.

"I knew the second you were walking by my desk." Punk said, "You never go anywhere without telling me where, and you wouldn't take your gun to a God damn sandwich shop." Punk said, "So how is he?"

"I just had to hear it from him. You know how I am." She tried to laugh it off.

"April this is different. This is my brother." Punk said, "You were the one who told me to go with my gut, and you said you'd believe me whatever I thought." He said, "But you just can't help yourself can you?"

"Excuse me?" AJ said as Punk stood up.

"You. You always have to know everything."

"Yeah, Phil that's part of the job." AJ snapped, "I figured it was random of your mom to just stop you and say that, so yeah I went and I spoke to him. It was just a few minutes, barely even that… he didn't even know what I was talking about." AJ said, "So now we can rule him out of the equation."

"Why didn't you just tell me you were going to see him?" Punk said.

"Because I knew this would be how you reacted." AJ pointed to him.

"No, if you told me beforehand then I would have been fine about it-"

"Like hell you would." AJ shook her head, "I was just being a detective, ok. Detectives investigate and stick their noses in places they shouldn't be. Just because it's your brother doesn't mean there are different rules." She said.

"Well don't tell me one thing and then go do the exact opposite." He shook his head.

"Why are you so mad at me?" AJ asked him angrily.

"I'm not mad." Punk scoffed as AJ tilted her head, "I just don't want you getting involved with any members of my family, and I don't want you to lie to me either. I knew you were lying to me. I've spent eight years with you, you suck at lying. Your nose twitches and you look everywhere but the person you're lying to." He said as AJ rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"Look, I'm sorry. Is that what you want me to say?" AJ asked him mockingly.

"Oh, forget it." Punk waved his hand, "You figure this case out on your own." He told her, walking by her.

"Phil." AJ spat angrily, watching him leave the office and slam the door shut.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	27. Brother Love

**Brother Love**

* * *

AJ and Punk had spent the rest of the day not talking. They even headed home separately. Punk went home first after finishing up what he had to do, and AJ got home shortly after, but when she got home Punk wasn't there, and neither was Ace, so she assumed that Punk had taken him out for a walk.

She placed all her things down on the kitchen table like usual and headed for a shower. She hated fighting with him, but she had a feeling that he would find out about her going to his brother's place, and she guessed he had every right to be mad, especially when she lied to him about where she was going. It was so out of character for her but she just didn't want him to know.

She enjoyed her long shower, getting out and wrapping a towel around her wet body, walking into their bedroom which was attached to the bathroom, and heading straight out into the living room where Punk and Ace were already home. She must not have heard them when she was in the shower.

"Hey." AJ said casually as Punk turned to her, doing a double take and wondering if she was deliberately soaking wet in only a towel. It was hard to be mad at her when she looked like that.

"Hi." Punk said short and snappily, giving Ace the bone he'd gotten him whilst out on their walk, watching the dog trot off into their bedroom where he liked to eat his bones and mess all the carpet up of course.

"You still mad with me?" AJ asked him, taking a bottle of water out of the fridge as he tried to look anywhere but her.

"Yeah." He said, going through the mail that he hadn't gotten a chance to when he came in. He normally didn't bother with mail, but it gave him something to do other than talk to her.

"Phil, look at me." AJ sighed, walking over to him as he turned around and looked down at her, "I'm sorry." She nodded, "I'm sorry for having to know everything, for being too much and involved in things you don't want me to get involved in." AJ said, "I just wanted to get some peace of mind that he has nothing to do with it. I had to know. Me. You had nothing to do with it." She said, "I even said that to him."

"Yeah, well it's still weird. It's my brother." Punk said.

"I know, and I'm sorry." AJ said, "I'm sorry for not telling you." She said, putting her bottle of water down, "I don't like fighting with you." She said, taking his hand in hers.

"I don't like fighting with you either, but you didn't have to lie to me." Punk shook his head, "And you could have just trusted me when I said my brother isn't a God damn killer." He shook his head.

"I know. I just get ahead of myself. I had to know… I had to hear it from him." AJ nodded, "He even asked how you were." She smiled softly as Punk just rolled his eyes.

"Don't be fooled by him. He's a rat." Punk shook his head as AJ's smile faded, "I'll forgive and forget, maybe because I love you and I understand it's who you are to want to find things out, and also maybe because you're standing here dripping wet with just a towel around you." He nodded as she smiled to herself.

"I didn't even plan this. You just came home at the right time." She smiled to him.

"Lucky me." He smiled, "No, but seriously. You wanna go somewhere or talk to someone, tell me. No matter who it is. I'm not your dad. I wouldn't have said no. I would have gave you my opinion on it, sure, but… you're your own boss." He shrugged, "I just don't want you anywhere near my parents or my brother. They're like… contagious." Punk shook his head.

"Contagious?" AJ raised her eyebrows. He really did have a terrible relationship with them.

"Yeah. I just don't want you near them." Punk said, "I knew my mom was just trying to put things in my head. It's what she does." He said.

"I did believe you. I just-"

"You just like hearing things. You like evidence. I understand." Punk nodded, "Just don't lie to me." He shook his head.

"I promise I will not lie to you ever again." AJ nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck as he smiled, pulling her into him by the waist, "I really am sorry." She said, placing her hands down at the waistband of his basketball shorts as he laughed a little.

"How sorry?" He whispered, watching her sink to her knees, pulling down his basketball shorts and boxers to free his length, wrapping her hand around him and stroking him up and down as Punk groaned quietly to himself, looking down as he then watched AJ wrap her mouth around him.

"Oh, fuck." Punk moaned, looking down as she looked up at him with those huge brown eyes, bobbing her head up and down on him, taking his length so far in that he hit the back of her throat, causing her to gag a little, releasing him for air and going straight back in as he rolled his head back.

"Fuck, baby. That's it." Punk moaned quietly to himself, watching as she continued to move her mouth up and down on him, retrieving to lick from the bottom to the tip, knowing exactly what he liked and what set him off.

She continued using her mouth on him until her towel was starting to shimmy down and he began getting impatient, pulling her up to her feet and ripping the towel from her as she giggled a little, feeling him move her over the kitchen table as she smiled resting her cheek on the wood.

"I've never had kitchen sex before." She whispered sensually as he smirked, placing his hand on her butt whilst his other hand stroked his length up and down a few times.

"Better make it good then." He said as she smirked, spreading her arms out directly in front of her, placing her forehead on the wooden table as she felt him slide into her.

"Oh!" AJ moaned longingly as he smiled, "Fuck, baby. You're so deep." AJ whispered, feeling him begin to thrust in and out of her, moaning louder and louder with every quick thrust he made, placing his hands on either side of her hips, pushing her back into him every time he thrust forward, hitting all the right spots as she gripped he edge of the table. Losing herself completely. Only ever allowing herself to lose control with him. Only him.

* * *

Later that night, AJ and Punk were fast asleep. The whole apartment was silent. Ace lay sprawled out on the sofa in the living room. AJ and Punk lay fast asleep in their bed, until they heard a loud bang, followed by Ace barking immediately.

Both of them joined up out of each other's embrace, scrambling out of bed. Punk shimmied on boxers whilst AJ put on her dress robe. She opened up her bedside drawer, grabbing the small handgun and throwing it over to Punk who was already at the bedroom door, opening it up slowly as he walked out of the room, AJ following close behind as they looked around, finding nothing… or no one in their apartment.

"We're not being paranoid, are we?" AJ asked him, crouching down to Ace who had heard the bang too, "Hi, boy." AJ smiled tiredly, clapping the dog's face and under his ears.

"Maybe it was outside." Punk said, lowering the gun as he headed back into their bedroom after thoroughly searching the apartment.

AJ followed after him and paused when she heard a whine, turning around and looking at Ace sitting, tilting his head and whining as he watched AJ, "Phil, I think he's scared." AJ sighed, looking at the dog and then turning to her boyfriend who was already back in bed, "Can he sleep with us?" She asked him with a pretty smile.

"He's just playing you." Punk said as AJ turned back to Ace who continued to whine.

"No, but he's crying." AJ sighed, "I can't leave that face like that." AJ refused.

"Fine." Punk said as AJ smiled happily.

"C'mon, boy." AJ patted her thigh, letting him into their bedroom as she closed the door over, watching as the dog jumped up on the bed, licking Punk on the face who grumbled and put his second pillow over his face as AJ laughed, "He gets grumpy when his sleep is disturbed, don't worry, Ace." AJ laughed, watching the dog circle around and around at the bottom of the bed until he finally collapsed by Punk at the bottom of the bed, resting his chin on Punk's legs on top of the covers.

AJ put on a tank top and a pair of shorts once getting out of her dress robe, and got back into bed, snuggling up to her boyfriend whilst Ace kept his eyes on Punk closely.

"Kiss me." AJ whispered as Punk opened one eye.

Punk leaned over to kiss AJ when Ace growled a little, not moving but making his feelings perfectly clear.

"He's the biggest cockblock known to man." Punk said, pressing a kiss on AJ's lips anyway whilst Ace lifted his head, his ears pointing up like daggers as he stared Punk out, "Ok, ok." Punk waved his hand, "Just go to sleep." He told the dog who rested his chin back on his legs, continuing to watch his owners until they fell asleep together, eventually falling asleep at the bottom of their bed happily.

* * *

The next day, Punk and AJ were at work when some new evidence had shed to light. A man from a local tobacco store had come forward with his CCTV camera footage from the night the woman was shot in front of them. He told them that the footage showed a clear picture of the man's face because he had stopped and looked back, no doubt to check if Punk was still running after him that night.

AJ and Punk put the tape on in her office as they watched the footage play, watching closely as the man dressed in black turned around, out of breath and looking back to see if Punk was still there. AJ paused the tape and zoomed in on his face, letting the pixels come to life as they both stared at it with confusion.

"That's-"

"No way." Punk cut her off, looking closely. It was definitely his brother on the tape, he just didn't want to believe it.

AJ leaned back on her chair, placing her hand over her mouth as she looked at Punk who shook his head, "It was him." AJ whispered as Punk placed his hands over his face, "He was so convincing." AJ shook her head. She could normally see straight through people, and she just believed everything Mike had said to her. She was shocked for sure.

AJ then watched as Punk left the office in an angry storm, opening her office door with so much force that it banged off of the wall behind it, knocking down a few folders from the shelf at the back.

"Phil." AJ stood up, rushing after him out of the office but he was already half way out of the station and she was completely worried about where his head was at.

* * *

 **A/N: I know things keep getting concluded quickly but we're still only getting into the story so just bear with me. There's still lots to come! Let me know what you think!**


	28. True Family

**True Family**

* * *

Once Punk had left the station in the state he was in, AJ sent two squad cars out after him, as well as driving to his brothers place herself. She didn't know how he was gonna react. She was still in shock. She'd never been played before. Normally if she questioned someone she could tell if they were lying or telling the truth, and Mike had completely lied to her face and she believed it.

She couldn't understand why he wanted to take a shot at them, especially when he'd just gotten out of prison.

She pulled up outside Mike's house, getting out of the car and walking on into the house in search for Punk, finding him on top of Mike in the living room.

"Phil, stop it!" AJ shouted, rushing over to them as she tried to pull Punk from his brother, "C'mon, keep your control." AJ told him, eventually getting through to him as he allowed her to pull him away, but his brother was already a busted-up mess, "You have to step back from this, ok?" AJ told Punk who was looking over at Mike. She'd never seen him this angry. He was a silent angry. Staring daggers right through his own brother, and so he should have been, "Look at me." AJ told him as he looked down at her, "Take a deep breath." She nodded to him as he took a breath to calm himself down.

Not only was he angry, but he was also hurt. Hurt to think that his brother actually tried to kill him, or worse, tried to take a shot at AJ. He felt sick. He always knew his family weren't really his family, but this was a whole other level.

AJ turned around to Mike who was getting to his feet, "You lied to me." AJ spat as Mike wiped his bloody nose up his arm.

"Well I wasn't gonna confess, was I?" Mike asked.

"He's your brother." AJ spat, "Don't you have any sort of a heart?" She spat whilst other officers gathered in the room, "Just… take him away." AJ told them, shaking her head. She didn't even want to look at him. Punk was right. This wasn't his family. Family didn't mess with one another and try and kill one another.

She turned back to Punk was agitated, "I have to make sure he tells us everything." Punk said, about to walk by her when she stopped him.

"You should go home." AJ nodded, "You're emotional and you're caught up in this… not as a cop but as a brother." AJ said, "You're not fit to work this case."

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"You know I'm right." AJ said, "We've got the evidence. He'll be provided with a lawyer and he'll talk. And a trial will be set." AJ nodded, "You don't have to do anything."

"That's my brother." Punk shook his head, massaging his temples with disbelief. He always knew Mike was a despicable person, but he never thought he was this bad. He was angry at himself for feeling hurt by it all, but he was only human.

"I'll get all the details. What his motive was. Why he done it. And he'll be imprisoned for a long time. Maybe even life." AJ said, "We'll treat it just like any other case."

"I wanna help you." Punk said.

"I know you do." AJ nodded, "But… it's too deep for you. Just… take an early day." She nodded to him as he sighed, running his hands through his hair, "Hey, he is worthless." She said as he looked down at her, "He's not even worth thinking about. He's not your brother. Dean. Seth. Rocky. They're your brothers. Not him." AJ spat with disgust to emphasise 'him,' "Just go cool off. I'll be home soon." She said as they both walked out of the house.

"You call me if you need anything." Punk said. He knew she was right. Him dealing with this case was way too personal and emotional. It was his brother. He couldn't control himself if he had to sit in a room with him and talk to him. It was for the best if he stepped aside. He knew AJ was a big girl, she could take care of herself, and was the best person for the job.

"I will." AJ nodded, "Please don't let this get to you." She turned to him as he just looked at the ground.

"I'll see you when you get home." He said, leaning over and pecking her lips softly as he got into his car and drove off whilst AJ got into hers and drove back to the station to spend a long time talking to his brother.

* * *

When Punk got home, he took Ace out on a jog. He needed to clear his head and it was the perfect way to do it. He wasn't mad that AJ had practically sent him home, he knew it was for the best. He would have just lost his temper if he had to deal with anything regarding his brother. He didn't have very good patience at the best of times.

He then thought about his mom being right, which was odd. She really wasn't putting things in his head, she was telling him the truth, and that was a rare thing.

When he got home, he showered and collapsed on the couch, only for a few minutes until there was a knock at the door.

He got up and answered it to see Dean standing, still in his uniform, looking like he'd just got off from a shift.

"Hey, man." Dean smiled, walking on into the house, holding a crate of beer for himself obviously, and a bucket of chicken.

"Hey." Punk said slowly and wearily, "What's up?"

"Just thought I'd come by." Dean shrugged, walking over to the couch and placing the bucket down along with his beers. He knew he'd have to bring his own beers since Punk didn't drink.

"Did AJ send you here?" Punk asked, only assuming she had.

"What? No." Dean laughed nervously as Punk raised a brow, "Ok, maybe she said I should go check on you." He nodded, "But I wanted to anyway. I heard what happened." He said as Punk sat down on the couch beside him, "Chicken?" He pointed to the bucket.

"No, I'm good." Punk nodded whilst Ace sat beside the bucket looking at it longingly.

"What about him?" Dean pointed to Ace.

"No, AJ kills me even if I give him a crumb from the chip packet." Punk shook his head.

"Sorry, bud." Dean turned to Ace who tilted his head, "Here, go have your one." He picked up the bone on the floor and threw it over as Ace chased after it and pounced on it, probably having forgotten it was there.

"So has April been talking to him all day?" Punk asked Dean.

"For the most part. He wasn't saying much at the start and then he started talking." Dean said, "AJ will be able to tell you more obviously. I think he's pretty much confessing to everything, but he's blaming prison. Saying it fucked him up." He said as Punk just shook his head, "You never saw him as your brother anyway."

"Didn't think he'd go out his way to try and kill me, though." Punk admitted.

"I know. That does suck." Dean nodded, "But you've never needed them. Your blood family. You got your real family. AJ, me, Seth, Eve, Rocky… stallion Ace over there." Dean nodded over to Ace as Punk smiled, "That's your family. Not that low-life." He shook his head, "But I know it'll still hurt."

"It doesn't even hurt. I just keep thinking… what if April got the bullet?" Punk said, "Trying to imagine life without her is… it's impossible." He said as Dean nodded.

"Well you don't need to imagine anything, because she's here, and she's ok." Dean nodded, "I guess it shows how much you really do love her." He nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I have like cabin fever, I wanna go see what he's saying." He said, barely being able to sit still as Dean smiled a little.

"Just relax. Put the game on. Feet up." Dean said, kicking his shoes off as Punk rolled his eyes, "Forget about your brother. You know how quick AJ can round up a case."

"She shouldn't have to do it alone." Punk said.

"She's not. Rocky was with her. You can't be there. Ok, it's not right. Everyone knows we don't solve personal cases. So just park your butt here and chill out." Dean said, "Have a bit of chicken while it's still warm." He pointed, diving in for another piece whilst cracking open a beer as Punk smiled. Having Dean's company did actually make him smile. He'd known Dean since all the way back in the academy when they were just kids. He really was more of a brother than his own brother ever was to him.

* * *

Dean left after the hockey game and after he finished his beers and chicken, just in time for AJ coming home, tired and drained like he expected her to be.

"How'd it go?" Punk asked her, walking into the kitchen where she was putting on a microwavable meal for her dinner.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "He talked. A lot actually." AJ said with surprise, "He's a little messed up, but he takes responsibility for all his actions. I think a lot of it has to do with jealousy too." AJ nodded to him.

"Jealousy? Of what?" Punk shook his head.

"Well you're doing ok with your life. He's a mess." AJ shrugged.

"That's his own choices." Punk said, "So he's getting charged with murder?"

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "We have him on tape. There was also a burnt down trash can in his back garden. He obviously burnt his clothes from that night." AJ said, "He told me there was a lot of influence in the prison he was at. A lot of guys who talked him up to doing it. At first he said it was just a thought, and then it got encouraged." AJ shrugged, "I don't really know how to read him."

"Yeah? You and me both." Punk sighed.

"Normally I can." AJ nodded, "Normally I can see through people. See their real motive. But I couldn't with him. He just seemed very… very lost and confused." AJ shrugged, "But he's going away for a long time. Maybe even life given he has a criminal record. And everything he done was intentional, even if he didn't get the right person." AJ said as Punk nodded, "Did Dean come by?"

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "With chicken and beer." He said as AJ laughed lightly, "Thank you for sending him." He said.

"I didn't." AJ laughed as Punk just raised his eyebrows, "I just asked him to pop in to see if you were ok. I didn't tell him to bring you chicken and beer." She said, pouring herself a drink as he smiled.

"Either way, I enjoyed his company." Punk said, "You're right. He's my real brother. Seth. Rocky. They're my brothers. You're my family. The only family I've known." He nodded as AJ smiled, "And I love you."

"I love you too." AJ nodded, surprised at his calm state, "I thought you'd still be pacing up and down when I got home." She admitted.

"Well I went for a jog when I got in to clear my head, and Dean being here really helped me. Made me realise that what I have with you, and at the station is good, and I don't wanna risk losing that." He shook his head.

"You're not gonna lose me, Phil." AJ tutted.

"I could have. And that's terrifying." Punk said.

"You 'could have' lost me a lot of times throughout the eight years we've been working together, and I could have lost you a lot more. But we don't lose. And we certainly won't lose each other." She nodded, "I know that much." She said as he smiled, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers as she kissed him back softly.

It was exactly what she wanted to come home to after a long day. She was glad that he had calmed down, and he had realised what he knew all along, he already had a family, and that family was at the station, that family was here with her. Mike had lost his way, like many people did in life unfortunately, and maybe the bitter jealousy or the spiteful behaviour prison taught him caused him to act out the way he had in such a violent and extreme way, but they never lost. They still had each other. They still had their family.


	29. Relax

**Relax**

* * *

A few months later and Mike, Jacob and Bill were all imprisoned. It wouldn't have seemed so abnormal, since their job was centred around finding the bad guys and arresting them, but because it was people they knew, it seemed a little strange, but it didn't let it affect them too much.

It was coming up for a year that AJ and Punk had been dating, and in celebration, they had decided to take the weekend off and go to a hotel in the city, nothing too fancy but still something to look forward to, and Dean was kind enough to agree to looking after Ace. Punk knew AJ, he knew she didn't like a fuss, so this seemed simple enough. They had cleared up any work they had to do and set out on the Friday afternoon to the hotel they were staying at.

"Have you been to this place before?" AJ questioned as they drove to the hotel, Punk keeping his eyes on the road.

"I was there for a case one time. It was when I was just a rookie, though." Punk said, "Just edging myself in." He said as she smiled.

"I remember starting like it was yesterday." AJ smiled to herself, "Everyone seemed so much… larger than life." AJ nodded, "And then once you settle in, everyone just looks like normal people." She laughed to herself as Punk nodded. He knew what she meant.

"Did you get everything cleared up before we left?" Punk asked her. He knew he had some cases up in the air for the past few weeks, but she was getting leads on them quickly, and he hoped for her mind's sake, that she had managed to get them cleared up.

"Yeah. I got them all cleared up." AJ smiled, "So I can… finally relax for once." AJ took a deep breath. She very rarely got the time to stop and take a deep breath. Of course, her and Punk still made time for another outside work, but this was different, this was a full weekend away with no interruptions, just the two of them. She couldn't believe it had almost been a year since they got together. She guessed it felt like longer since they'd been in each other's lives for nine years.

"There's a spa here. If you wanna… relax and do some stuff on your own, I'm fine with that." He nodded. He didn't really know what she'd like. He didn't ever hear of Jacob taking her anywhere, but he figured he couldn't go wrong with a weekend away.

"A massage does sound really good." She admitted to herself, "But I don't wanna leave you doing nothing." She smiled a little to him.

"I'll find something to do, don't worry about me. As long as you come back to me." He said as she laughed lightly. He wanted her to relax. That was the most important thing. For her health, her body, her soul. She worked so hard, and he knew that better than anyone. She deserved a break, and so did he.

"I feel like I wanna just… order room service and walk around naked the entire time." AJ admitted as Punk almost crashed the car onto the other lane.

"I'm… I'm fine with that." Punk gulped as she grinned to herself.

"I knew you would be." She said, "We have the whole weekend. The world is our oyster really." AJ said.

"I know. Imagine us having a whole weekend off." He shook his head, "It's bizarre."

"It's nice." AJ smiled. She never even used to like taking days off of work. She was so connected with her work and obsessed that she never really felt the need to take a day off. But now she was obsessed with someone else in her life, and she really did want to spend the weekend away with him.

* * *

They got to the hotel they were staying at and checked into their room which was beautiful. AJ done a full tour of it before unpacking her things. They might have still been in Chicago, but it was still beautiful, and they had a beautiful view of the water.

"Did you ask for this?" AJ asked, standing over by the desk and showing him the bottle of champagne that was next to a tub of raspberries.

"Yeah. Me, a straight edge guy and you, who doesn't drink." Punk nodded, "What does the card say?" He asked her as she opened up the card that was next to the champagne.

"Thanks for all the hard work you do." AJ read out, followed by the name of their department commissioner, "How did he know we were coming here?" She shook her head.

"Dean was at a meeting the other day with him. He must have said something about it." Punk said, "I guess that was nice." He said. It was nice to be recognised for all the work they done, even if the gift wasn't something they could enjoy.

"He spelt Mendez with an S." AJ said, "And Philip with two L's." She laughed a little, getting a kick out of it, "Shows how much we see him." She shook her head.

"Nice gesture, though." Punk shrugged as AJ sat the card down.

"Mhm." She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck as he smiled down at her, "I'm so glad we're here. Just us two." She whispered as he nodded.

"Me too." He smiled, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers softly. It was nice to just be together.

* * *

The next day, AJ had decided she was going to go for a massage. She normally wasn't a very openly confident person, especially when it came to people touching her, but she figured it'd be relaxing, and she decided to go early whilst Punk was still sleeping. She knew he'd probably be still sleeping when she came back up from the massage.

She headed downstairs and was back up after two hours of pure relaxation. She was a little nervous since she'd never been for any sort of spa treatment before, but she couldn't believe the wonders it had done to her mind, body and soul.

She got back to the room, walking in where Punk was still sleeping.

She climbed back onto the bed, forcefully shaking him as he grumbled a little, "Wake up, sunshine." She said playfully as he opened his eyes.

"Did you go for a massage?" Punk asked her as he woke up, rubbing his eyes as he watched her get off the bed. She spoke the previous night about going early in the morning when it was probably least busy, and he was wondering if she had gone or not.

"Yeah I did." AJ nodded, "It was so good." She almost moaned, "I feel like I have new shoulders." She said, "And the guy was so sweet."

"Uh… guy?" Punk sat up in bed.

"Yeah." AJ nodded casually, "What?"

"I didn't think… well I thought the guys massaged the guys and the girls massaged the girls." Punk said, "Were you naked?" He raised a brow.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Under a sheet." She shook her head.

"Just your back, right?" Punk asked.

"What is this? Twenty-one questions?" She laughed a little, "No. My arms too. And I got a facial." She said as Punk tried to bite his tongue, "He was sweet. Stop being weird. It's his job. I bet you he's massaged prettier women than me." She laughed modestly.

"I honestly doubt it." Punk shook his head, getting out of bed and placing boxers on, "As long as you enjoyed it." He said, trying to find control inside himself, not thinking about a man touching his naked girlfriend's back with oils and creams.

"I did." AJ smiled, "I needed it." She nodded, "And the day is still young. What do you wanna do?" She asked him.

"You know I'm easy." Punk said, stepping out onto their small balcony, "It's a nice day." He said, walking back into the room, "No point in staying cooped up in here."

"Ok. I'll go for a shower. I still feel sort of oily." She said as he faked a smile, watching her head into the shower as he shook his head. Had he known it was a guy who was gonna massage her, he wouldn't have encouraged it so much. But, he was just being childish. He was glad to see she enjoyed it.

* * *

Punk and AJ wound up at the beach the entire day. It was so nice to be out and not have to be on high alert, or have a gun by their side. It was nice to just chill out and relax. They relaxed, had ice-cream, walked to some shops, played around in the water like kids, and AJ spent around half an hour petting a dog whilst implying she missed Ace terribly.

"I normally don't even like the beach." AJ admitted, sitting on their towels on the sand, her legs in a basket as she enjoyed her second ice-cream of the day. They'd relax for a bit, and then they'd get up and wander around, and then come back to their spot. The beach was pretty crowded, but it was nice.

"I'm gonna be picking sand out of my ears for the next five weeks." Punk said as AJ laughed lightly, "But today was nice." He nodded, "What do you wanna do for dinner?" He asked her.

"I don't know. I kinda feel like ordering in room service and renting a movie." AJ shrugged, "I know we can do that at home but… I'm ok staying in."

"Hey, you know I'm easy. I'll do whatever." He shrugged, "As long as you're happy." He nodded as she smiled.

"Did you ever think it'd be like this?" AJ asked him, "Me and you." She said, continuing to eat her ice-cream. Her hair was up in a bun and she had sunglasses on, sported with a pair of jorts and tank top. While Punk had his t-shirt off and a pair of basketball shorts.

"I don't think we could have predicted this." Punk admitted, "Everything just sort of… fell into place." He shrugged, "I wouldn't change anything."

"I wouldn't either." AJ smiled, "Do you want an ice-cream kiss?" She asked him.

"Go on." Punk nodded as she smiled, leaning over and kissing him softly.

* * *

Later that night they got back to the hotel and they just ordered room service and rented a movie. They much preferred that than going out to fancy restaurants like Jacob would always try and impress her with on the rare occasions that they'd go out. Punk knew what she liked.

They ordered a pizza and some sides, sitting the tray on the bed whilst taking their time with it. They barely even watched the movie since they were just talking all the way through it. Sometimes they'd talk about work, other times they'd talk about completely random things, and other times they'd talk about family life or what they classed as their 'biological families.'

"You still thinking about your mom?" AJ asked him, playing with the side of his hair that curved around his ear. He lay further down the bed whilst she sat up against the headboard. She knew he had been thinking about his mom, and how she had warned him about Mike and his behaviour. It wasn't weighing him down by any means, but she knew it was on his mind.

"It pops up every now and then." Punk nodded, "It's not keeping me awake at night or anything like that." He shook his head.

"Maybe she was just… trying to look out for you." AJ shrugged.

"Well she said it was my dad who was suspecting it. Maybe she was just the messenger." Punk shrugged, "Whatever, he's in prison now." He waved his hand.

"You never talk about your dad." AJ noticed as he looked up at her.

"You never talk about your dad." He replied.

"I don't know my dad." AJ tilted her head at his childish response, "You know that." He said as he nodded.

"I don't know, I've never had a problem with my dad. He's not a bitter guy. He just… ruined his life for alcohol. In and out of prison. Losing any sort of jobs he got-"

"I didn't know he was in and out of prison." AJ shook her head.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "When I was growing up he was always in and out. Just petty things." Punk said, "And you can look at it from two perspectives. Mike grew up, drinking, spending his money, eventually becoming a killer, and his response was probably, oh I saw my dad do it." Punk shook his head, "And I grew up, I didn't want anything to do with drink, I wanted to be a cop, and people ask me why… I say, oh I saw my dad." He said, "You know?" He said as AJ nodded, "People deal with situations in different ways." He said.

"Did you get on with your dad when he was… sober?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, we did actually." Punk nodded, "He still took me to my first cubs game. He still helped out at school. He still done way more than my mom ever done for me." Punk said, "Maybe that's why I don't talk about him much."

"Sounds like he just needed some help. Maybe some counselling." She shrugged.

"Well he was stubborn too. Kinda like your mom with her bipolar disorder. My dad never wanted to admit he was an alcoholic." He said as AJ nodded, "And you wanna help them. You know the feeling. But they think they have it under control because they're older than you." He shrugged.

"Yeah, I know the feeling." She said, brushing her hand over his hair just by habit, "I guess we spent our childhood trying to parent our own parents, huh?" She said as he nodded.

"I gave up pretty quickly. I figured if he didn't wanna help himself, how could I help him?" Punk asked as AJ nodded. He never spoke so personally with anyone but her. He trusted her. He could open up to her, and he was glad he felt so comfortable with her, "Do you think your mom would ever reach out to you?" He asked her as she laughed a little.

"No." AJ shook her head, "It's like she's scared of me." She said, "And I know she still hasn't gotten over Gabrielle. Not so much her death but the fact she wasn't even there."

"You had to do everything?" Punk asked as she nodded.

"Yeah, I had to… identify the body. Talk to police. Let them look around Gabrielle's room. Doing all that at such a young age… I think it scarred me a little." She admitted.

"Do you think it's what encouraged you to become a cop?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah, I think it was." AJ nodded, "I wanted to prevent what happened to Gabrielle. I wanted to make sure the… people who hurt her, couldn't hurt anyone else." She said, "But they're probably still out there." AJ whispered.

"How do you know it was more than one person?" Punk asked.

"Because I went to the place where her body was found. They'd kept her there for a few days before they killed her. I thought nothing of it since she had a boyfriend at the time, and sometimes she would stay with him for a few nights during the week." AJ nodded.

"So, you were just as curious then as you are now?" Punk smiled.

"Well, it was my sister." AJ shrugged, "I was upset, and then I was angry. I went to the hut where her body was found. There was no hard evidence left but I know there wasn't just one person involved." AJ said, "I just know it."

"How have you been? Staying away from her case?" Punk asked her.

"It's hard, I won't lie." AJ nodded, "You know what I get like if I have a manic episode. I just wanna look at things." She said as he nodded. He didn't just help her through her depressive cycles, but her manic ones too, which weren't as frequent as the depressive ones.

"I know you do." Punk said, "But… you know that it's bad for you, right?" He said, "You know that now?"

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I guess I just never had someone who cared enough about me to tell me or even notice that it was bad for me." She said.

"I'm proud of you." He smiled, "I know it's not easy for you." He said, placing her hand on her knee as she smiled.

"You know how much you mean to me, right?" She smiled, cupping his cheek softly as he smiled up at her.

"I've got an idea." Punk nodded as she smiled, leaning down and pressing her lips against his softly as he kissed her back deeply, placing his hand at her neck as he moved up the bed, pulling her leg over him as she rolled on top of him. It was nice to just get away and enjoy each other's company without any distractions.

* * *

 **A/N: Can anyone tell I'm giving you all the cute chapters to prepare you for what's coming? Lol. REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	30. Similar Stories

**Similar Stories**

* * *

When AJ and Punk got back from their weekend away, they came home to a ton of work to do. There were bombarded with new cases that had been opened, and that was only them gone for the weekend. Nevertheless, it didn't take away from the fact that they had a relaxing and wonderful weekend away by themselves.

AJ was in her office reading over the work she had missed, scanning through everything thoroughly. There was a break in to look into, a murder and a rape attempt. Meanwhile Punk was out on the beat with Dean and Seth.

"So how was the weekend?" Dean asked, "Am I looking at a new, engaged man?" He smiled as they stood outside by their car.

"I chickened out, didn't I." Punk shook his head to himself as his friends laughed lightly, "I just… I don't think I'm ready for it just yet. We've been together for a year, that's not really a long time." He said.

"I know but… technically you've been together for nine years." Dean shrugged, "Hey, man. You do it when you're ready." Dean patted him on the shoulder.

"I just think it's a big step. It might freak her out. It sorta freaked me out." He said, "And it was the perfect opportunity but… something just kept me back." He shook his head.

"The right time will come in." Seth nodded, "At least you know you wanna marry her. That's a big step in its own right." He nodded.

"Yeah, man." Dean agreed, "There's no rush on things." He said as Punk nodded.

He had gone out on a whim and bought an engagement ring, thinking he would propose to AJ on their weekend away, but something held him back, and he didn't actually know if he was quite ready, and he didn't know if she was either. Even though they were inseparable, and committed and definitely in love, he just didn't know if he was ready for it, and so had shoved the ring at the back of one of his desk drawers in the station where he knew AJ wouldn't go.

* * *

"This murder that took place. What age was the girl?" AJ asked, sitting beside Rocky by his desk as he ran through a few things with her.

"She was twenty-one. Hispanic. Lived in an apartment with her friend. She was just out with her friends one night and didn't come home." Rocky said as AJ nodded, "She is estranged from her family and the injuries sustained coming back from the autopsy was… pretty bad." Rocky nodded.

"Go on." AJ sighed.

"Uh, well she was raped. By more than one person." Rocky said as AJ closed her eyes, "She was beaten pretty badly and stabbed." He said as AJ nodded.

"Ok." AJ sighed quietly, "Any leads at all? Where was she found?" She asked.

"No leads. And she was found in a field." Rocky looked down at the files as AJ nodded, "Any idea who would be behind this?"

"Evil." AJ nodded, "That's as much as I know." She said, "Ok, I'm gonna put this at the top of my list. I'm gonna need you to look into the other attempted rape case that's been opened, if you don't mind." She stood up.

"Already on it." Rocky said as AJ gathered her things, having been taking notes when Rocky was talking to her, heading back to her office as she placed her things back down, feeling an aching headache springing onto her.

She sat down behind her desk, massaging her temples as she felt the room spinning. She couldn't help find this murder case so similar to her sisters. And she'd came across a lot which was similar, but this seemed the closest, and it got to her head, clearly. It just brought back painful memories.

"Hey." Punk said, knocking on the door even though he had walked on in anyway, looking over at AJ who was holding her head, "You ok?" He asked wearily as she lifted her head and nodded.

"Yeah." AJ shook her head, "Yeah, just… sore head." She sighed, "You couldn't do me a favour and look into this break-in case. I'm up to my eyes with things and I'm putting this murder at the top of my list." She said as he nodded.

"Sure." Punk nodded, "I'll run through it and see what I can do." He said, taking the folder from her, "You sure you're ok?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ waved her hand, "I uh… I have the doctors tonight. So, I should be home later than usual." She said as he nodded.

"Will I pick you up?" Punk asked her.

"No, I'll take my own care, it's ok." AJ smiled as Punk nodded.

"Ok." Punk smiled, leaving her office and closing the door over as AJ rolled her head back, feeling agitated. It was strange how the smallest of things could trigger her into a particular cycle. Not to mention, she'd not taken her meds this morning.

* * *

Later that night, when AJ had left the station she headed to her doctors, but instead of getting out like she usually did, she stood in the parking lott, staring into space, thinking. Which sometimes, thinking, could be a terrible thing for her.

She sat there for an hour, just sitting in silence, thinking about things, and then she pulled away and headed home, calling her doctor on the way home to tell her she couldn't make the appointment because of work.

She got into the apartment, walking over to the kitchen table and placing her things down whilst Punk walked out of the bedroom with just a towel around his waist.

"Hey, how was the doctors?" He asked.

"Uh… yeah, good." AJ smiled, turning around and going into the kitchen, looking at the cupboard in which she had put her sister's folder in.

"Everything good with your meds?" Punk asked as AJ turned around to him in a flash.

"Yeah." She smiled, walking over to him, "Everything is great." She nodded as he smiled.

"You want some dinner?" He asked her but instead she pressed her lips against his forcefully, backing her way to their bedroom with desire as she pulled at his face, walking into their bedroom and kicking the door shut with her foot as she ripped his towel from around his waist.

Through the night AJ woke up… she hadn't actually been to sleep. She untangled Punk's arms from around her naked body and got out of their bed, putting on a pair of shorts and one of Punk's t-shirts, leaving the room quietly and walking into the sitting area, watching Ace look at her closely, but not move suddenly since he was in his night time sleep.

She took a seat at the kitchen table, pulling over the case she had been looking at in work all day, her brain doing over time as she looked at everything thoroughly, making notes beside everything that only she would ever understand, and then she kept looking back to the cupboard in which she had put her sister's folder in. It only took a trigger like this, combined with her missing a dose of her meds, to make her feel like this, and she couldn't help it.

Listening to the similar story today, going through the case, it felt so similar to her sister's and she found that hard to hear again. She knew the best thing for her to do was to take her pills and go back to bed, but she couldn't, her body wouldn't let her.

She stayed up all night studying the case, but she didn't once try and get her sister's folder out. She went to bed at 5am and slept for one hour before her and Punk's alarm went off. She knew that wasn't good for her health either, having very little, if not no sleep, but she couldn't help it.

"Coffee?" Punk asked her once they had gotten up and got ready for the day ahead, putting the coffee pot on as AJ just shook her head.

"No, I'm ok." AJ told him, placing all her folders in her bag, "I'm gonna get to the station right now. I wanna… get as much done today as possible." She said as Punk nodded.

"Ok. You want me to bring you breakfast?" He asked her.

"No, don't be silly." AJ smiled, walking over to him and kissing him softly, "I'll see you later." She said as he watched her walk out of the apartment.

* * *

"Hey, Punk." Rocky said as he approached Punk the minute he got into the station.

"What's up?" Punk said.

"I just wanna talk to you about AJ." Rocky said as Punk nodded, "Well, the case she's working on is… it's pretty similar to her sister's. I don't want it to… get to her. She's been in her office for the most part of the day, and she's not came out." He said as Punk nodded. It made sense why she barely said anything yesterday and this morning.

"Don't worry, Rocky. I'll talk to her." Punk nodded.

"Ok, man." Rocky nodded, walking back to his desk as Punk looked over at AJ's office where he could see her through the glass as she was sitting writing at her desk.

He walked up to her office, walking on in as her head lifted immediately.

"Oh, hey." AJ smiled breezily as Punk watched her. He hadn't gotten a chance to notice, but she was definitely in one of her manic episodes. She had that care free, happy vibe around her that he knew wasn't there from choice.

"Hey." Punk said slowly, "You ok?" He asked her, shutting her office door over slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine." AJ nodded quickly, "Look, this case is so similar to my sisters. Both girls were twenty-one. Both Hispanic. Both with very little family. Both beaten the same way." AJ shook her head, "If I could just… see my sister's folder to compare, that's all I need." She looked up at him.

"Maybe the cases are similar but… there's no way there's a link." Punk told her, "C'mon, you know that. Your sister has been gone for a long time. There would be no link to it." Punk said as she shook her head.

"No." AJ shook her head, "No." She whispered to herself.

"April, sweetheart." Punk said, "Look at me." He crouched down beside her desk, "Have you taken your meds?" He asked her.

"No." AJ shook her head immediately, "No, I don't… I don't have time." She said, flustered, waving her hand to shoo him away, but he stayed.

"Well you needa make time." Punk nodded. He knew that was all it took for things to go south. A trigger of the memory and a skipping of a med.

"I'm too busy." AJ said.

"April, you're in a manic episode right now." Punk said calmly as she looked at him, "So… we're gonna go home, I'm gonna make you dinner and you're gonna take your tablet, and we're just gonna… have a lazy day." He smiled as she shook her head.

"No! No are you kidding?" AJ said, "I have to work. I'm doing this." She told him, "I'm fine. Just… go do your own work." She told him as he stood up straight. He didn't like belittling her at all, so he refused to do it. He knew that sometimes some of her greatest work came from her when she was in a manic cycle. It wasn't like she got violent and destroyed things, sometimes it worked in her favour.

"Ok." Punk put his hands up in defence, "Ok, I'll come get you when you're finished later." He told her as she just nodded quickly and looked back at the papers on her desk. It was a little scary how rapid her mood could change just by the trigger of stress, and her sister, and not having her medication, but she always bounced back, and he'd help her.

* * *

AJ spent the entire day in the office looking at the case she was in charge of. She was trying to piece things together as much as she could but she kept coming up at dead ends. She eventually decided to call it a day, and met with Punk at the reception to go home. She wasn't completely out of her mind when she was in her episode, she just had a lot more energy and was a lot more aware.

"I know. I'll take my meds when I get home." AJ said, as if speaking to someone who had just given her into trouble, even though Punk hadn't uttered a word as they drove home.

"Hey, it happens." Punk said, "It's good you are aware of it on your own." He nodded.

"I'm just… messed up with this case." AJ shook her head, "It's so similar."

"If you need help just ask." Punk said, "If it's too much-"

"No. I wanna work it out. Look at what leads I have." AJ nodded, "There is a farm not that far from where her body was found. I'm checking that out tomorrow." She said.

"Just take your time with things, yeah?" He said as she nodded.

They got to the apartment where Punk went straight for a shower. AJ headed into the kitchen where she grabbed out her medication and popped a pill out to swallow over. She knew she couldn't work like this, and the longer she waited off, the worse it would get, so she swallowed the pill as well as looking out some medication to help her sleep for the night.

And then she came across the cupboard she put her sister's folder in, and this time… she didn't ignore it.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	31. Unfinished Business

**Unfinished Business**

* * *

A few days later at work, AJ was feeling a little better and was out on case duty with Punk at the farm she wanted to check out that was near where the girl's body was found. Punk had saw a massive change in her behaviour. She wasn't as uptight and alert, which he was glad of.

"How long has this not been a farm for?" AJ questioned, looking around the old barn with Punk. The farm was abandoned and had no one living there, so it made her question it's place in this case all the more.

"A few years." Punk nodded, "Looks pretty untouched, huh?" He said, looking around closely.

"I'm gonna go check the stables next door." AJ told him as he nodded, watching as she left the small cottage.

AJ walked out of the farm house and into the stables, walking onto the hay which covered the ground completely, looking around and finding nothing really abnormal about the place. And then her brain started to do overtime, and she put herself in the position of the killer or killers, and thought about what they would have done if they did have this poor girl here. How would they have covered their steps?

She crouched down onto the hay, looking at it closely as she brushed it to the side so she could see the hard ground, tilting her head as she looked up and looked for a rake of some sort.

Punk walked into the stables to find AJ brushing every piece of hay outside, watching her frantic self as she raked and raked the hay away so she could get a clear view of the ground.

"Ape, what are you doing?" Punk asked her, walking in with a bottle of bleach in his hand.

"I need to see the ground." AJ told him simply, placing the rake over at the side and scanning the ground, smiling to herself as she realised she was right, crouching down to the spot of blood that was visible on the ground, "I knew it." She whispered to herself. They had covered their tracks by throwing hay all over the stable to make it look like no one had ever been there.

"Blood?" Punk asked, approaching her as she nodded.

"They had her here." AJ nodded, turning to him as she noticed bleach in his hands, "What's that?"

"Well I figured we run some DNA testing on this. If there was any other blood spilled around, maybe they just cleaned up after themselves." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll get it sent to the forensics." AJ nodded, "I'll need them out here to tell me whose blood this. If it's a match then we're onto something." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"Ok. I'll get you in the car." Punk said, standing back up and walking out of the stables as AJ stood up, looking around at the ghostly place. She wondered if this was the sights that her sister last saw. She wondered if there was a pattern here.

* * *

"Jen from Forensics just called." AJ said, coming out of their bedroom later that night where Punk was sat at the kitchen table doing some work, "They've not gotten to the bleach yet but the blood is definitely Giovanna's." AJ said, referring to the girl who had been brutally murdered.

"So they had her there." Punk sighed as AJ nodded, sitting down across from him, "Well that's our playhouse then. Something else will show up there… surely." Punk said.

"Hopefully." AJ said, "If fingerprints come back on the bleach, we might have a finished jigsaw." She said.

"They might not have touched the bleach." Punk shrugged, "It sounds like they… or whoever the scum is, knows what they're doing."

"Yeah, it does. Doesn't it." AJ wondered to herself as Punk watched her.

"You ok?" Punk asked her, "You've been a little off these past few days."

"I know." AJ said, "I completely forgot my medication by accident, and combine that with thinking about my sister and then the stress of this new case. It got too much." She nodded, "But I'm ok now. I just wanna get to the bottom of this." She nodded.

"Yeah, me too." Punk said, "Poor girl. Can't imagine what she went through. I mean… you saw the pictures." Punk shook his head as AJ nodded, "I am gonna take so much pleasure in locking up whoever it was that done this." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, me too." AJ nodded as Punk stood up.

"Ok, I'm gonna take the kid out for a walk." Punk said as Ace jumped up the minute he heard 'walk' come out of his mouth, "I'll bring you back a cake or something." He said as she smiled.

"You're the sweetest." AJ smiled, watching as he put on Ace's leash, grabbing his wallet and placing it in his back pocket.

"I know I am." Punk nodded, "I won't be long." He said as she nodded, watching him leave the apartment as she looked over to the cupboard where her sister's folder was in, getting up and walking over to take it out. She'd had it out a few times over the past few days and had been going through it thoroughly. She knew it was bad for her, and she knew she promised Punk she wouldn't go back to it, but it was like an addiction. A high she was chasing, and she felt like she was getting close in her own private world, of figuring it all out.

* * *

One week later, AJ was still buried deep into the case of the twenty-one year old girl who was murdered. She seemed to get somewhere and then come up at a dead end which just frustrated her and made her stressed out.

Punk was also working on his section of the case along with Dean and Seth. He still had no idea that AJ was looking into her sister's case alongside the one she was working at the present moment. Which meant he didn't know that she was close to figuring it all out. Her manic cycles were helping her, that she was doing her best to hide from him.

AJ had been tired for the past few days, not because she was barely sleeping, but she felt physically tired, it made her body ache, and it wasn't until two days ago where she realised she was 5 days late.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" AJ tapped Eve at her desk who turned around.

"Uh… yeah, sure. What's up?" Eve stood up as AJ looked around cautiously.

"Can we go outside?" She asked as Eve nodded, following AJ outside of the station.

"What's wrong?" Eve asked worriedly, "Are you ok?"

"I'm late, Eve." AJ placed her hand on her forehead as Eve double blinked, "I know." AJ almost cried, "I-I don't know what to do."

"Have you taken a test?" Eve asked.

"No, I'm too frightened." AJ shook her head, "I'm hoping it's just because of stress."

"I thought you were on the pill." Eve shook her head.

"I was, but I had to come off it when my doctor upped my dosage of bipolar meds recently." AJ shook her head, "I was due a period last week." She nodded.

"Well you need to take a test, AJ." Eve said, "We can go right now." She nodded.

"Right now?" AJ asked with fear in her voice.

"You might just be late because you're stressed out with this case." Eve said, "But you need to find out."

"Ok." AJ nodded, "Ok." She whispered to herself.

"I'm gonna go grab my purse." Eve told her, "I'll get you by my car." She said as AJ nodded, running her hands through her hair. She'd never had a pregnancy scare before, mostly because of how careful she always was, but recently since her medication was all mixed up, and with missing a period as well as feeling the way she had been feeling these past few days, she was convinced that she was going to see two blue lines.

* * *

"How's it going in there?" Eve said, sitting on AJ and Punk's bed directly outside of the bathroom in the bedroom. They'd bought two boxes of pregnancy tests and AJ planned on using all four of the tests.

AJ walked out of the bathroom as Eve stood up, "I'm still waiting." AJ assured her as Eve sighed.

"The best thing to know right now is that you're not alone, and you don't have to panic." Eve shook her head, "You might have a little cop baby." She smiled, hoping that AJ would smile too but she didn't.

"Eve, I don't want a baby." AJ shook her head as Eve's smile faded, "I-I don't have time for a baby, and neither does Phil." She said as Eve stood quietly, not really knowing what else to say, "This can't be happening." AJ said, placing her hands in her hair. All she was thinking about was how she should have been at her office right now, working on this case. And maybe that was selfish, and one-sided and border lining obsessed but her job was her life, and she never planned to give it up for a baby.

"You should probably look." Eve said.

"I can't." AJ shook her head, gulping as she sat down on the bed, "Can you?" She asked as Eve nodded.

"Ok." Eve said, walking into the bathroom, looking at the four sticks lined up inside the sink neatly, all with the same result.

"Is it negative?" AJ asked as Eve walked out of the bathroom, looking across at her, "What?"

"You're pregnant."

* * *

AJ returned to work after sitting on her bed for half an hour in shock. She figured the best way to forget about it was to carry on with her work. Eve emphasised that she had to tell Punk within the next twenty-four hours, because he had a right to know just as much as she did. All AJ wanted to do was forget about it and focus on work, and that's exactly what she done.

She was so close to figuring out where Giovanna was taken from when she was abducted, as well as piecing together her own sister's case, discovering some shocking truths as she dug away at things, finding a very compatible link in both cases.

"Hey, I've not saw you all day." Punk walked into her office as AJ looked up at him, "Where have you been?" He asked.

"I took a coffee break with Eve." AJ told him as he nodded with a smile.

"Good." Punk smiled, "I'm glad you two are back on track again, and… having a break every now and then isn't so bad, especially with how hard you're working." He said, looking at the white board behind her where she'd drew up diagrams and written scribbled notes. He did think she was extremely fascinating when she worked.

"I'm getting close." AJ nodded, "Super close." She said as Punk nodded.

"Good. I checked out her apartment like you said. Nothing really stood out besides the fact she was going to a party the night she was abducted." He said as AJ shot her head up.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"Yeah. It was a… college party. She was going with her friends. She didn't actually make it to the party. They must have got her before she got there. Her friend did tell us she went to the party by herself, right?" She said as AJ nodded, turning around and writing it up on the white board behind her.

"Why would he take her before…" AJ whispered quietly to herself.

"What?" Punk said as AJ turned back around to him.

"What?" AJ shook her head, "I'm just… talking to myself." She smiled, "Listen, I have a doctor's appointment straight after work so… I'll-I'll get you back at the apartment." She nodded.

"Ok, sure." Punk smiled, "You'll actually go to this appointment, right?" He asked.

"Yes." AJ smirked, having confessed to him before that she skipped her appointment last week, "I'll see you back at the apartment." She smiled to him as he nodded.

"Ok." Punk nodded, leaving her office as she watched him through the glass. She had no idea how he would react to her being pregnant. She still wasn't sure of what her own reaction was besides trying to ignore that it even existed.

* * *

"Normally I encourage my clients to… talk to me about trying to conceive." Her doctor said later that night.

"We weren't trying." AJ informed her.

"Ah." Her doctor nodded, "Well, totally understandable." She nodded, "It's an exciting thing."

"I'm not excited." AJ said, "All I've done is worry about how I'm going to tell my boyfriend who is just as dedicated to his work as I am." AJ said, "I-I don't have time to take off, to have a baby."

"When I met you, you told me you wanted a family. A husband and children. Now you don't?" Her doctor asked curiously.

"Yeah. On my terms." AJ said, "I'm not ready for a husband and I'm certainly not ready for kids." AJ said, "I still have unfinished business." She said as her doctor leaned back on her chair.

"Your sister's case?" She asked with a raised brow, "You're looking into it again?"

"I'm so close." AJ smiled, "I'm… I'm picking up on things that I've never picked up on. The case I'm working on right now, it's so… parallel. It's like it's the same case." AJ said.

"Does your boyfriend know?" She asked.

"No." AJ shook her head, "He won't need to know." She said, "I know I promised him, and I'd never lie to him, but… it'd only make him worry, and I don't want him to worry." She shook her head.

"So when do you plan on telling him about the baby?" Her doctor asked.

"I don't know." AJ shook her head, "I'm… I'm focusing on these cases right now." She said as her doctor nodded.

"Is there any doubt that you can do it? Have the baby?" Her doctor asked.

"All I have is doubt." AJ told her as her doctor sighed.

* * *

She stayed at her doctors for an hour, talking about work, talking about the baby, talking about what she wanted and what she didn't want, and eventually she decided she had to get home.

She left the doctor's office, crossing over the road to the parking lott where her car was parked. It was dark and there were no lights to light the way. It had to be around 10pm. It happened often where she'd lost track of time in her doctor's office.

She paused outside her car as she rummaged through her bag to get her keys to unlock the car, "Stupid keys." She muttered to herself, not being able to find them, dropping her bag when she felt a pair of hands grab her waist, another placing a bag over her head whilst she felt an injection in her neck, everything going dark suddenly.


	32. Case Closed

**Case Closed**

* * *

Punk knew it wasn't like AJ to be extremely late after an appointment with her doctor, and after he tried calling her multiple times, where he got no answer, he then began to worry and pace in the apartment.

He figured he'd call her doctor and began to look for the small phone book she had, trying not to worry himself just yet. He looked through all of the kitchen drawers and cupboards until he came across her sister's folder. He never knew where it was. She told him she'd hidden it somewhere and hadn't touched it, but when he pulled it out and opened it up, there were more sheets added to the file and more notes she had taken down.

"April." Punk shook his head, dumping the folder on the kitchen table as he continued to look for the phone book, finally finding it and calling her doctor who answered straight away.

"Hey, sorry for bothering you. It's Phil here. April's boyfriend." Punk said, "Is April still with you?" He asked.

"Uh… no, April left about an hour ago." Her doctor said, "Why? Has she not come home?" She asked him as Punk sighed to himself, running his hand over his face with worry, the colour draining out of him completely. It really wasn't like AJ to take a detour this late, if she had she would have called him to let him know. Something wasn't right.

"No, she's not came home." Punk said, "I don't think it's anything to worry about, though. She might have just... taken a detour." He said, grabbing his things from the kitchen table, his gun, his cuffs, his phone.

"Well she has a lot on her mind." The doctor said as Punk nodded, assuming she was just talking about work.

"Ok I better go then." Punk said, "Just call me if you hear from her on this number." He said.

"I will." The doctor said as Punk hung up and dashed out of the apartment. He knew something wasn't right.

* * *

AJ woke up after blacking out. The last thing she remembered was looking for her car keys across from the doctor's office, and then being grabbed out of nowhere. She had no awareness of where she was or who she was with… until she started looking around.

She appeared to be in a barn, just like the one her and Punk were in earlier on in the day, the one they were investigating. She came to her senses and realised she was tied to a chair in the centre of the cold barn. Her hands were tied behind her back and her feet were tied together.

She immediately began looking for ways out. As a cop and detective, she felt like she had the head start. She looked around but nothing popped out at her that would be of use… and then the barn doors slid open as she looked across.

She watched closely as the figure came into light, looking up at what she already knew, what she had already pieced together. She just didn't have the time to confirm it.

"I knew it was you." AJ whispered, watching her sister's boyfriend who had been dating her at the time she died, crouched down in front of her. AJ cared to take notice of the two other men standing by the barn doors.

"I'm sure you did." The man, Jackson, smiled.

"You killed my sister." AJ spat, trying to shuffle forward to him but she couldn't kick or punch him, she was tied up completely.

"She was my first experiment." Jackson stood up as AJ watched him. She'd pieced it all together. Everything she'd took notes on, led to him, and finally, after digging into his upbringing, noting that he grew up on a farm, it began to make sense that he had killed Giovanna too.

"Experiment?!" AJ spat, "She was all I had! I thought you cared about her." She hissed.

"No." Jackson said calmly, "I wanted to start a trend. A series of killings that would be remembered forever. And I've gotten away with it for so long." He laughed to himself, "All the while I've been able to live a normal life."

"I will kill you." AJ spat, "I will kill every one of you." She looked over at the men standing at the doors.

"I could put a bullet between your eyes right now if I wanted to." Jackson said, "And you'd be dead." He told her, "But I'm not gonna."

"Are you gonna torture me like you did with my sister?" AJ spat, "Are you gonna beat me and whip me and rape me? Like all your other victims? All those girls that didn't deserve their lives taken from them!" AJ spat, "I know your story. I know what happened to you as a child." She said as Jackson's eyes almost popped out of his head.

AJ watched as he dashed forward to her, slapping her across the face as she looked down at the ground.

"Shut your mouth." Jackson spat angrily, snapping as quick as a light turned off, "You weren't even supposed to be on the list." He said, trying to calm himself down as AJ lifted her head back up and looked at him, "But when I heard it was you who was investigating the latest girl… I knew there was something not right." He said, pacing up and down in front of AJ, "I knew you'd be onto something. You were always a smart kid. I remember that much."

"I will lock you away for ever and you will die in a cell alone and cold." AJ told him, "And you won't hurt anyone else."

"Well that's not true." Jackson said, "Because no one is gonna care that you're even missing. You're just gonna become another victim, and you can be with your sister again." He said, crouching down in front of AJ, "Wouldn't you like that?" He asked, caressing her cheek as AJ turned her head quickly to get away from his touch, "I'm gonna do everything I did to your sister, to you, so that you can feel the exact pain she felt right before she died for three whole days." Jackson said, "And then someone is gonna find your body, but everyone will move on, just like they did with Garbielle." He nodded, standing back up straight as he turned to the two men standing by the door, nodding to them as they walked into the barn.

AJ made sure to take mental pictures of their faces, but it was too late before she was pushed back on the chair, hitting her head off the concrete.

* * *

"I want people in every street that Chicago has." Punk said, speaking to the station, "I want every coffee shop searched, every donut shop, drug stores, supermarkets, hell… even check the airport." Punk told them all, "This is one of our own." He reminded them as they all began to spill out of the station.

"Hey, Punk." Seth said as Punk turned around, looking as Seth held AJ's bag in his hand, "This was found outside AJ's car. It's just… left outside her doctor's office. The bag was dropped outside of the car." He said as Punk took it slowly.

"Someone has her." Punk nodded, facing the harsh reality. He hoped that AJ had just taken a crazy detour and wanted to be out in the night for some fresh air, but his worst nightmare had come true. Someone had taken her, unwillingly, and he had no idea where she was.

"Any idea on who would wanna take her? Anyone out to get her?" Seth sighed.

"No." Punk shook his head, sitting AJ's bag down at his desk as he sighed, "No, I have no idea who would wanna take her." Punk sighed whilst Rocky approached him.

"Hey, man." Rocky nodded comfortingly, "I think you might wanna go into AJ's office." He said as Punk turned around to AJ's office at the back of the station, walking down and opening up the door as Rocky followed him.

"What is it?" Punk said as Rocky pointed to the whiteboard, "What? It's just her board." Punk shook his head.

"Yeah, look what she's circled." Rocky said as Punk looked at the circled words on AJ's board. It was hard enough at the best of times to understand her notes, but she had circled the most important words such as 'female', 'hispanic', 'troubled', and 'no family'.

Punk suddenly realised that her sister's folder that he'd left sitting on the kitchen table, maybe did have a link to the case she was working on, and perhaps was the reason behind her being taken. He knew what Rocky was getting at, and suddenly he felt a pit of nerves in his stomach as he realised the type of people who had taken her sister and what they had done to her. Knowing that could have possibly awaited made him feel sick, and he immediately rushed out of the station to go back to their apartment and look at what was written in her sister's folder.

* * *

Meanwhile, AJ had taken what she assumed was her first beating. She tried to fight back, but with her legs and arms tied, she was helpless, and that was the worst thing to do to such a fighter like her. She desperately wanted to claw his face off, all three of them, but she couldn't, and once they had finished kicking and stomping at her, she was pulled back up onto her chair.

She didn't allow herself to think about the multiple times that she was kicked in the stomach. She couldn't bare herself to think about it, and she wouldn't be so careless to tell them she was pregnant, otherwise they would just torture her more, she knew these kinds of people. Evil people.

"You don't look as pretty anymore." Jackson laughed a little, pulling AJ by the air, holding her head back as he looked at the blood running down her nose, "Must be real frustrating for you. Being the good cop that you are. Not being able to fight us." Jackson smirked, letting go of her hair as AJ glared across at him, "And that was only the warm up. These next few days are going to be great." He smirked as AJ glared up at him.

"Why do you take people's lives?" AJ asked tiredly, "What does it do for you?"

"It gives me power." Jackson said, "To know you are in control of someone's life, whether they live or whether they die… that's a powerful thing."

"Yeah, and putting a gun in the hand of evil is a powerful thing too." AJ nodded, "You can torture me all you want, but it won't change the fact that eventually, one day, you will be found out for what you done, and you will be punished for every life you took so… brutally." AJ spat.

"You see, you say things like that and you think I care?" Jackson said.

"I know why you hurt people. I know why you choose Hispanic girls and I know why you torture them and make their death slow. I know everything, so if you're expecting me to grovel before you, it's not going to happen." She spat angrily, "You were abused as a child, sexually and physically." She said as Jackson glared down at her, "By your own mother. By your Hispanic mother." AJ spat, "You still feel that pain every day, so you turned it into what you believe is now power, and you hurt people just like your mother hurt you. You see me as your mother. You saw my sister as your mother. Every victim you have picked, you saw your mother and you tortured them for what she done to you!" AJ yelled, "Shoot me if I'm wrong, shoot me if I'm right… but I know why you're doing this."

"You really are always the step ahead. Just like everyone says you are." Jackson laughed, "You know, Gabrielle, she told me you would end up a lawyer, or a detective. She said you were the most intelligent person she ever knew." He said as AJ looked up at him, "But not this time." He shook his head, "See if she has it." He instructed the men behind him as AJ watched the two men walk over to her, pulling down the sleeve of her tank top to reveal her bare shoulder where she had a tattoo. It was a matching tattoo she had gotten with her sister, not long before she died. It was two swallows.

"What are you doing?" AJ spat, trying to shake away from the men holding her sleeve down, watching Jackson take a knife out from his pocket.

"I told you. I'm doing exactly what I done to your sister."

* * *

Punk had gotten back to their apartment. He had the full station out looking for AJ who now knew had been taken by someone when she left the doctor's office. He figured maybe, hopefully, some sort of answers would show up in her sister's folder that she had clearly been looking into again.

"Finding anything?" Dean asked, standing by Punk who was reading AJ's notes that she made.

"She's just comparing the two cases. Her sister's and the recent one she was looking at." AJ said, "There's links there definitely." Punk said, kicking himself for saying to her that there couldn't be any links.

Meanwhile, Ace was standing at the cupboard that AJ had hid the folder, and was barking over and over again.

"Ace, not now buddy." Punk shook his head frantically as the dog continued to bark, "Ace!" Punk shouted, but the dog barked louder, and Punk looked up to where he was standing, "What? What is it, boy?" Punk asked as Ace barked at the cupboard.

Punk opened the cupboard up, looking at the back as he saw a mini file sitting that he'd obviously missed. He picked it up and took it out whilst Ace lay down by the cupboard, happy that he had let his owner know there was more things in there.

"What the hell is this…" Punk opened up the file as Dean looked on at it.

"Who is that guy?" Dean pointed to Jackson's picture.

"Says here he was her sister's boyfriend at the time she was murdered." Punk said, going through the man's files that AJ had made of him, suddenly beginning to see the dots that AJ must have saw too, "I know where she is." Punk nodded, "We're going to that farm, c'mon. Call for backup." Punk nodded as he and Dean rushed out of the apartment.

"How do you know it's him? How do you know it's even the same people?" Dean asked as they got into the car.

"I don't know." Punk said, "But I have a feeling, and AJ always tells me to go with my feelings." He said.

* * *

AJ lay slouched over the chair, feeling the blood run down her shoulder where she had been slashed over the tattoo she sentimentally had in remembrance of her sister. It used to be something they shared, and now it was something she remembered her by, and now it was ruined completely.

"Hell, you might even bleed to death." Jackson laughed, "And this is only us getting started." He laughed, looking on at AJ doubled over herself, "You should wait to the part where we stand you up." He said as AJ looked up.

"You're pathetic." AJ spat, "You're a weak, small, small man." AJ said, "You're not even a man." She corrected herself, "You will burn in hell for all the pain you've caused." She spat, having been pulling away at the rope that tied her hands behind her back. She had a ring on, and for the past few hours she'd been held captive, she was rubbing away at the edges of it, whether it done her any good, she didn't know, but she didn't have any other options.

"I don't care what you think of me." Jackson said, "You're not special. You're just like all the other girls who have sat in barns like this and been through what you have." Jackson said, "You haven't even felt pain yet, trust me." He said.

"You will be found out." AJ said, "I guarantee it."

"Oh, you're boring me now." Jackson rolled his eyes whilst AJ felt a splint on one leg of the chair which must have cracked when she was pushed over. She discreetly began moving her tied legs against it, trying to cut the rope or at least attempt to cut the rope.

She had everything she needed in sight. She kept an eye on the knife he held and knew where the gun was in his back pocket. She'd gone over it in her head the entire time, playing the scenario out as she worked on untying herself from the ropes.

"Your sister was strong like you." Jackson nodded. The more he talked about her sister, the more she got angry, "She didn't grovel or beg me to stop. She took it like a champ." He smiled, "And she was the first. That's gonna be iconic one day." He said as AJ looked up at him with anger, "And you can say whatever you want on why I do it… but you know nothing." He said.

"I know everything." AJ spat, "I know why you do what you do. I know why it has to be in huts and barns. I know why it's Hispanic women you pick on. It's all your own pain, and shame, and embarrassment that makes you hurt women like me. But I am not defenceless like those other women. I will fight you and I will win. Every time." AJ spat, trying to provoke him to come close to her.

"You really think so?" Jackson smirked, getting a kick out of it as he crouched down in front of AJ who had the rope around her hands untied.

"I know so!" AJ spat, ripping her hands apart, freeing them as she punched Jackson square in the face, grabbing his knife and untying her legs before taking out both the men who had accompanied him to help him in his evil deeds, and it was oh so fitting to see blue lights flashing from underneath the barn door.

AJ grabbed the gun from Jackson who toppled over her, beginning to punch into her as the barn doors opened. AJ was staring to go unconscious before she felt Jackson's body tackled from hers. She regained consciousness and looked over at Punk who was now on top of Jackson, watching as the barn was spilled in by dozens of cops.

Everything got blurry for her as she tried to get to her feet, looking on as Eve rushed over to her, a different kind of worry on her face compared to everyone else.

"April." Eve said as AJ passed out on the ground, hearing her name echoed out until she saw black.


	33. Fighter

**Fighter**

* * *

An ambulance took AJ away after she had passed out with Eve and Punk joining her. Punk had to be pulled from Jackson. The sight of him on top of AJ, and the beating she had clearly taken from him made him the maddest he'd ever felt before. He felt like he was just going to burst with anger, but he had to calm himself for the sake of his girlfriend.

Dozens of cops were there to take away Jackson and the two men who were with him. This was a dangerous killer, an evil man, and they needed to make sure he was on lock down completely. AJ had done the hard work of getting to him, even if he had taken her, she still managed to find a way to fight back, and it made him hold onto her hand even tighter on the journey to the hospital.

She was taken right away in a gurney and Punk watched as Eve spoke to a doctor in private. He didn't think much of it. He was too busy hoping she would be ok. Everything seemed to have happened so fast, and he still felt like a lot of things were unanswered, but clearly AJ had all the answers. He almost felt bad for telling her to leave her sister's case alone, but then again, she was in hospital.

"What are they doing with her?" Punk asked as Eve walked over to him, "Is she gonna be ok?" He asked worriedly.

"They're gonna stitch her up. She has a bad gash on her shoulder. When she comes around they're gonna do some X-rays and scans, but so far she's not in any hot water." Eve nodded as Punk sighed, leaning against the wall in the middle of the hospital corridor, "Phil, I have to tell you something. It's not in my place to tell you but… well you're gonna find out anyway." She said as Punk looked across at her with worry.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"AJ is pregnant." Eve said as Punk looked across at her as if she was speaking a different language, "She only found out today. She was really… scared about the whole thing. Scared for herself. Scared to tell you." Eve nodded.

"How do you know?" Punk shook his head, "She's pregnant?" Punk shook his head as Eve nodded.

"She asked me for some help." Eve said, "She was late and she was scared to take a test on her own so I came back to the apartment with her on her break. She took four tests and they were all positive." She nodded as Punk ran his hands over his face.

"Oh my God." Punk gasped, feeling a little light headed. As if it couldn't get any crazier, "Eve, she was beat up. What if-"

"I know." Eve nodded, "I told the doctor. When she wakes up they're gonna do a scan. You should be there." She said as Punk took a deep breath, placing his hands on his knees as he doubled over, still leaning against the wall.

"She had it all figured out." Punk shook his head, standing back up straight, "She knew they were linked, and she knew it was her sister's boyfriend." Punk nodded, "And he was gonna go after her too." Punk said, feeling sick to his stomach.

"He didn't get to her, ok. She survived. She got him. Finally. Think about how long she's waited to… to get her sister's killer locked up." Eve said. If anything, they were the ones who knew the most, "I'm sure she'll be able to tell us more about what happened, but for now, we just gotta be there for her." Eve said as Punk nodded.

It still hadn't registered that his girlfriend was pregnant. Maybe because he was scared incase something had happened. Maybe it was best not to let the whole thing consume him just yet.

* * *

Eve and Punk stayed at the hospital for the remainder of the night until AJ came around. Eve wanted to give AJ and Punk some space, and so decided to go back to the station to get an update on things. Meanwhile Punk had made his way into AJ's room where she was sitting up, awake and looking not too terrible.

"Hey." Punk smiled with relief to see her awake. Her slash on her shoulder where her tattoo was, had been stitched and patched up, as well as the cut on her eyebrow. Scans and X-rays were still to be done.

"Hi." AJ smiled sadly, watching him sit down on the edge of her bed. It was all very overwhelming for AJ. To have been in the same room and air space as her sister's killer, to have him so near was all very heartbreaking for her, but to know that he was now caught was the biggest relief she'd ever felt in her entire life.

"You done it." Punk whispered, caressing her cheek, "As stubborn as you are. You… You done it." He smiled as AJ laughed lightly.

"So many women, Phil." AJ shook her head, "So many women were taken by him and tortured. H-He was gonna do the same to me." She said as Punk shook his head.

"And you never let him get the chance." Punk reminded her, "You fought back." He nodded.

"I don't think I could have lasted much longer." She admitted truthfully. Sure she had fight in her and she had the skill, but there were still three men who were probably physically stronger than her. She just thanked herself lucky that she had a boyfriend who knew her every step and could get to her in time.

"There's no point in thinking about… what could have happened." Punk said, "What happened is you stalled him enough for us to get there. You figured it all out and he's gonna rot in prison forever." He nodded as she rested her head back on the pillow.

"I can't believe it." She whispered to herself. So much was going through her head but one main concern was the baby she had just found out she was having yesterday, and how she had yet to tell Punk, "Phil, I need to tell you something." She looked across at him as he nodded.

"It's ok." Punk nodded, "I… I already know. Eve told me. She had to… tell the doctors about it." He said, "She didn't want to tell me but just incase." He shrugged as she nodded, "And… I mean, I don't really know what to say." He admitted, "It's still not… it's still not sinking in at all."

"I know." AJ nodded, "I'm just… I'm really scared that I've lost it." AJ admitted, "He… He kicked me a lot. In the stomach." AJ said as Punk looked down so not to show her the pain in his face, "And I thought I didn't want it. But I do." AJ cried, "I really do." She said as Punk looked up at her, taking a deep breath.

"We'll do this together. You're gonna go for a scan and whatever happens, I'm here for you." He told her, taking her hand as she nodded, blinking away the tears, "I'll be right beside you." He promised her, kissing her hand softly as she smiled.

She was filled with so many emotions, and it wasn't like her to be like that. She was scared for the baby that she realised she wanted. There was never really a doubt that she didn't, but knowing that she might have lost it was a heartbreaking thought that she didn't want to be true. And of course, everything that had gone on in the past few hours was just so much to take in. She still couldn't believe that her sister's killer was caught, and she'd managed to finally work it out, all in perfect timing.

* * *

AJ went for the x-rays she had to get done, and then she was taken for the scan that she was oh so frightened of. She just didn't want to be told that the baby was dead. That meant Jackson had taken another thing from her, even when he was in the process of getting locked away for good.

"It's gonna be a little cold, ok?" The doctor smiled sweetly, squeezing the gel out on AJ's stomach as she jumped a little at how cool it really was. Her eye was starting to bruise from being punched, and she was pretty sure her x-rays would show up a few broken ribs.

Punk sat beside her, holding her hand. He didn't really know what to make of all of this, it still wasn't sinking in, but he would never leave AJ's side. She needed him and he was gonna be here for her.

"Ok. Here is the baby here." She smiled, turning the monitor a little as AJ turned to her side, both her and Punk looking at the black and white image, "It's very small. It's ok if you can't quite see it." She laughed lightly, nevertheless pointing the baby out to them as AJ and Punk looked closely.

"That's it?" AJ smiled, "That's the baby?" She asked as the doctor nodded with a smile.

"I'm gonna check the heartbeat now to make sure everything is ok there." The doctor told them as AJ nodded, turning to Punk who winked to her comfortingly. Just to remind her he was still here, and he was still himself waiting to hold her, whatever the outcome.

The doctor fiddled around trying to find the heartbeat. AJ was so sure that there was nothing that would be heard. She believed that their baby hadn't made it and she was trying so hard to prepare herself. She even saw it on the doctor's face as she tried to find the heartbeat.

And then the most wonderful thing happened. The sound of a heartbeat filled the room as the doctor smiled with relief.

"There you go." The doctor smiled to AJ, "That is one little fighter in there." She said as AJ filled up with tears, giggling nervously as she turned to Punk who looked just as shocked as she was. He really couldn't believe it. Their baby was healthy and growing and clearly had stayed safe whilst AJ had taken a few bumps.

"It's like a little train." AJ laughed lightly, never thinking a swooshing sound could bring her so much joy. She didn't think she was ready for this, or that she even wanted children, but right now, seeing and hearing their baby, it was all she wanted, especially after going through so much.

She smiled as Punk kissed her hand, leaning her head back as she looked at the monitor with a smile.

"I'll give you two a minute." The doctor smiled, leaving the room as AJ turned to Punk.

"I can't believe it." AJ shook her head as Punk nodded.

"It's crazy." Punk said, still in disbelief that there was even a baby to begin with, but the fact AJ had taken so much and the baby was still there, growing, it already had its mother's strength, he knew that much.

"Are we really gonna have a baby?" AJ gasped as he nodded.

"We are." Punk laughed lightly, "We are." He nodded, leaning over and pressing his lips against hers.

Right now, wasn't about the evil that AJ had managed to figure out and conquer tonight. That would come, and AJ could take her time explaining how she figured it out later and what really happened. Right now, was about them, and their new-found joy, as shocking as it was still to both of them. It was about surviving. It was about the justice AJ had managed to finally get. The high she finally was chasing, served its final purpose, and she got her sister the justice she deserved, along with all the other girls that had suffered.

* * *

 **A/N: Lots more still to come so stay tuned! Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming!**


	34. Reward

**Reward**

* * *

AJ was discharged from the hospital later on the next night. She had a few cracked ribs, a nasty gash on her shoulder where her tattoo was, and had a bad concussion, but apart from that, she was good to go and being the stubborn woman that she was, she was desperate to get out of the hospital bed.

She desperately wanted to go straight to the station, to make all her statements and say everything she had to, to make sure that those three horrid men got locked away forever, but she knew she wasn't in the right state to be going anywhere.

Punk took her home from the hospital. She was surprised at how calm he was being about the whole thing. She was so glad she had a partner like him, not just as a boyfriend but as a work partner. Only he could have known where to look for where she was, and understand her notes she made. If he hadn't gotten there, she didn't know what would have happened.

"You want set up on the couch or do you wanna go to bed?" Punk asked her, helping her into the apartment as she was finding it painful to even walk. Her body felt like it had been through a car crash. She just felt sleepy and sore, but she was too proud to rest in her bed all day.

"The couch." AJ nodded to him, accepting the help he was offering, holding onto him as he guided her over to the couch.

Ace wasn't jumping all over them like he normally did. In fact, he was standing back and watching closely. He knew something wasn't right, and when Punk placed AJ down on the couch, he wandered over to her.

"Hi, boy." AJ smiled, having missed her furry monster, "I missed you." She said, clapping the dog as best she could, leaning over and kissing his big nose as Ace sat beside her.

"You know he helped me out too." Punk said, coming back from their bedroom where he'd grabbed a blanket and pillow, "He showed me the folder you had on… your sister's boyfriend." He said. They hadn't yet talked about everything. In fact, they'd not really talked about anything.

"Don't call him that." AJ told him, laying up on the couch as Punk shook the blanket over her, "He's a monster." AJ spat as Punk nodded. He completely agreed. It took so much of him to not just beat the man to death.

"You comfy?" Punk asked her, fixing her pillow behind her as she rested back. She wasn't laying down by any means, but resting back to accommodate her aching body.

"Yeah, I'm good." AJ smiled to him as Punk nodded, taking a seat beside her, shifting her legs under the blanket so they lay across his lap. Meanwhile Ace jumped up on the opposite couch and sat down, but continuing to stare at AJ cautiously. He knew his owner was hurt, and he knew he had to protect her.

"You wanna talk about it?" Punk asked her, placing his hand on her leg under the blanket as she sighed.

"Where do I even start." She admitted, "I guess I owe you an apology for… promising I wouldn't look at my sister's case but… I couldn't help it, Phil."

"Hey, don't worry about that." Punk shook his head, "You got a dangerous evil serial killer locked away. I should have trusted you to… do what you do best." He nodded as she smiled softly, "How did you figure out they were linked?"

"Well when I was reading further into the most recent case, things flashed up that I had took note of in my sister's case. Things the cops never looked into back then." AJ said, "And it just… it seemed too familiar to ignore." She said, "So I got my sisters case out and… it was almost identical." AJ said, "The farms. Both girls being Hispanic. Not having much family. The type of killing. Holding them for three days. The injuries." AJ shook her head, "It was identical and I couldn't ignore it." AJ shook her head as Punk nodded.

"And what about him?" Punk said, "How'd you know it was him?"

"I done more digging when I looked back into the case. I never thought anything of him I guess. He was just my sister's boyfriend." She shrugged, "But then I looked into his own files. His own story." AJ nodded, "And I got my answers." She said as Punk waited, "He was sexually abused and physically beaten by his mother as a child." AJ said as Punk nodded, "His mother was Hispanic. He was very estranged from everyone else in his family. He grew up on a farm." AJ said, "It was all… very convenient, I guess." AJ nodded, "And when I looked into his eyes, I knew why he was doing this to women."

"He saw them as his mom." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ said, "Once I figured that out, I started opening up other cases of deaths of Hispanic girls in the past few years, and then… he took me." AJ shrugged, "I was hoping you would come across it, and you'd know where I was."

"I didn't know anything, but I had a feeling that's where you were and that's who you were with. So I went with my feeling." He nodded as she smiled, "Why did he take you?"

"I think he knew I was looking into him a lot closer. He knew I would have figured it out. So he took me and he was… he was gonna do what he done to my sister." AJ nodded as Punk shook his head, "I just kept thinking about… how much pain she had to go through before she died." She sighed, "And no one helped her. No one knew anything."

"You can't blame yourself for that." Punk shook his head, "You finally got her justice, Ape. This… This is what you wanted for so long. This is what kept you awake all these years. And you done it. You figured it out all on your own and you've got so many girls justice, and you've also protected so many more girls." He said. He couldn't have been prouder of her. She truly was one of a kind.

It did feel good on AJ's behalf to know she had put an end to all of this. She might have taken a beating, but she prevailed in the end and finished what she had started a long time ago.

"Do you think she'd be proud?" AJ asked as Punk smiled.

"The proudest." Punk smiled, "I'm the proudest. It might have made you ill and upset and all over the place but… you finally got what you wanted and… it's a closed case." He said as AJ smiled to herself. That was all she ever wanted to hear.

"I'm gonna get fat." AJ said in an outburst as Punk turned to her, "I can't believe everything is ok." She said, looking down at her stomach, "What do you think?" She looked up at him. She hadn't really heard him say much about the baby. She could see he was obviously glad that everything was ok, but he hadn't said much about how he actually felt.

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty scared." Punk nodded, "I… I honestly have no idea how to be a dad. A good one anyway." Punk said, "And I didn't think this would happen for a lot of years. Just because I know you love your job and… you don't stop for anyone, not even a baby."

"He'll just have to come to the station with us then." AJ smiled as Punk laughed lightly.

"He?" Punk smiled.

"I want a boy." She smiled dreamily as Punk smiled to himself. Now that it was sinking in, as bizarre as it all felt, it really was beginning to feel real. He just didn't know how they would be when the baby was actually here.

"It's a little fighter anyway." Punk smiled as she nodded.

* * *

Over the next few days, AJ felt well enough to go to the station to give her statements and talk about what she had to talk about, to give the evidence she had figured out all on her own. She knew how everything worked, so it didn't take as long as what it would with a normal person.

Her and Punk both agreed not to tell anyone about the baby just yet until they got past twelve weeks. Eve had her lips sealed too, but was itching for everyone to know.

AJ was so stubborn that she wanted to get back to work right away, implying to everyone who disagreed that she could rest when she was dead. Punk had to remind her every now and then that it wasn't just her she was taking care of now, so she decided to come in to work for the mornings, but she planned on working until she was gonna pop.

She was in her office clearing things and tidying the place up to dive into some new cases, when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." She called as she watched her commissioner walk through the door, standing up and brushing herself down nervously as she watched him walk into the office. He was more or less her boss. He was in charge of the station in the region and made sure that things were ran accordingly, and that the officers, detectives, lieutenants and sergeants were all doing their job properly.

"Mr Hughes." AJ nodded, "It's nice to see you." She smiled.

"April, call me Walter. You've known me for eight years." He chuckled a little. He was an older man in his mid-fifties, and had known AJ since she first started in the station as just a rookie cop. It was he who promoted her to detective, "I just wanted to come and say hello." He smiled, "You never cease to amaze me." He said as AJ smiled to herself.

"Just doing my job." AJ said.

"No, but you do more than your job, April." Walter said, "You do your job, and then some." He nodded, "You showed great bravery and intelligence in figuring out this case with those three men." He said, "And I hear you're expecting." He smiled pleasantly.

"How did you-"

"Well, I called the hospital to make sure you were fit to actually be here working again. I know how you are. They told me your injuries and what they done to help you, and a baby sonogram was said in between all the stitching and x-rays." He said, "A congratulations is in order."

"Thank you." AJ nodded, "I'm not… I'm not telling people yet. I'm still early." She explained.

"My lips are sealed." Walter smiled, "But I want you to take it slow, for yourself and for your child." He said, "And for that poor boy's sanity out there." He nodded back as AJ looked through the glass where Punk was sitting at his desk talking to Dean.

AJ laughed to herself, turning back to Walter, "I'll take care of myself." She assured him, "Even if it's just… boring desk work I'm assigned to do."

"Sometimes the desk work is scarier than the work outside." Walter said as AJ nodded, knowing that to be true, "I hope you know how much we value you on the force, April." He said as AJ smiled, "What you've done over these past few days is remarkable, and I commend you for it." He said.

"Thank you." AJ smiled.

"Now, April. I'd like to promote you." Walter said, "But… I argued with myself in the car ride here on whether it was stupid of me to move you from a rank that… you love and you thrive in." He said, "So I'll leave it to you."

"Promote me to what?" AJ shook her head.

"Captain." Walter smiled as AJ's face dropped, "It's a big position here and… I don't know if it's what you're looking for, especially with a baby on the way, but it's an offer I'd like to make you." He nodded.

AJ was so flattered about being promoted. She felt like it was just yesterday that Walter had come to visit her to promote her to detective. But she didn't know if it was what she really wanted. She was happy in her rank. Most importantly, she was good at it, and there also was the topic of the baby.

"I am… honoured." AJ began, "Really, I am. But… I enjoy my work as a detective. I wouldn't change it even if it meant more money. I don't do it for the money." She explained as Walter smiled, "And I'm gonna have a baby. I don't think I can take on such a huge role." She admitted as Walter nodded.

"And that's ok." Walter nodded, "I figured you would say that anyway." He said, "But I just want you to know that is how much I appreciate you here." He said, "Your boy out there is getting a promotion too, if you're wondering." He said as AJ smiled.

"Phil?" AJ smiled as Walter nodded.

"You bring out the best in him. He's done some great stuff this year." Walter said.

"He's amazing." AJ agreed.

"And there will be a badge waiting for the kid too." Walter nodded as AJ laughed lightly, "I'll see you again soon, April. Thank you." He nodded as AJ smiled to herself, watching him leave the office.


	35. Moving On

**Moving On**

* * *

"Check you out." AJ grinned whilst sitting up in bed, taking Punk's new badge from him whilst he stripped, "Feel any different being a sergeant now?" She smiled. She was incredibly happy for him getting his own promotion. He worked extremely hard and deserved it completely. And she knew it meant a lot to him, not to mention the up in the pay cheque.

"Not really." Punk shrugged modestly, getting into bed beside her as she handed the badge to him which he sat on the night stand beside him, "I heard you turned down captain." Punk raised his eyebrows with confusion, "What's going through your head?"

"I love being a detective. That's what I wanted to do." AJ shrugged, "Walter knew that. And plus… I can't take on being captain when I'm gonna be huge soon, and then I'm gonne have a baby." She shook her head.

"It's not gonna ruin your life, Ape." Punk reminded her, "What do you think everyone else does?" He asked.

"Everyone else isn't obsessed with their job like I am. Women probably love getting pregnant so they can take maternity leave." She laughed to herself, "I don't think Walter wants me out on the field."

"You're not going out on the field, April." Punk shook his head, "There's being stubborn then there's just being stupid. I don't even agree with you going to sit in your office all day. That'll fry your brain." He said, "What's the harm in taking some time off to have the baby?"

"So they can send in a placement detective who is better than me, who they end up keeping on and then telling me they have to let me go?" AJ said as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Who is gonna be better than you?" Punk turned to her as she smiled to herself, "C'mon. They won't just drop you. Walter has a ton of respect for you. For what you've done."

"I know." AJ nodded, "But what am I gonna do with my time? Say I take my maternity leave when I get to… five months pregnant. That's four months of just… sitting around doing nothing."

"You'll find stuff to do. Ace will keep you busy. You wanna keep learning how to cook, right? You can relax, that's the main thing. You've not got to do that for a long period of time." He said.

"Or I could just take my maternity leave at eight month pregnant." She wondered to herself as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Please just cooperate with me." Punk said, "I love you and I want to support whatever you decide to do, but spending the entire span of your pregnancy in that warm, stuffy office, isn't good for you. It was barely good for you when you weren't pregnant." He said as AJ sighed. She knew he was right. She was just stubborn.

"I know it's not good for me." AJ nodded, "Maybe I'm just don't wanna put my mind entirely on the baby." She admitted.

"Why not?" Punk asked her.

"Well it's scary, isn't it?" AJ sighed, placing her hand on her stomach, "What if I can't be a good mom? I-I don't know what a good mom does." She admitted.

"April, you are gonna be the best mom ever." Punk told her honestly, "I mean that. The last thing I want is for you to be worried the entire time. Just like things fell into place when we got together, it'll all fall into place when the baby comes." He nodded.

"You really think so?" AJ smiled to him as he nodded, "Well you're gonna be the best dad." She told him, "You're gonna be the favourite parent because you are gonna be the soft one. And it's gonna be so protected." AJ said, "What if it hates us because we're so overwhelming?" AJ asked him as he laughed lightly.

"Well then we just can't be overwhelming then." Punk laughed a little. It was starting to sink in more and more, and they were beginning to be able to talk about the baby with confidence. It wasn't such a scary thought anymore, although they were both still very nervous about the full thing.

"We'll need to go to parenting classes, right?" AJ asked him, "I just…I wanna be as prepared as we can."

"We'll do all the classes. We'll read all the books." Punk nodded, "But I don't think anything really prepares you for having a baby." He said truthfully.

"Well, any sort of guidance I'm happy to accept." AJ admitted as he smiled.

"How are things going with Jackson? You still talking to people?" Punk wondered.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I feel like I'm here, there and everywhere." She shook her head, "I've done all the hard part. I've got all the evidence to show and I've spoken about everything, now I'm just waiting to hear if there will be a trial which I'll probably have to speak at. Everything I've said makes sense to everyone anyway, which was my biggest concern."

"Of course, it makes sense. It's the truth." He said as AJ nodded, "It'll be cleared up before you know it, and they'll be all rotting in prison for the rest of their miserable lives." He said as AJ nodded.

"It just shows how much upbringing really affects a kid." AJ nodded, "I want our little skittle to have the best childhood."

"Skittle?" Punk laughed lightly.

"It was like a little skittle on the picture." AJ shrugged as Punk smiled, "It deserves a childhood we never got." She said as Punk nodded.

"It deserves a mom and dad that we never had either." He added as she nodded, "You like a challenge, don't you?" He smirked to her as she smiled.

"This is definitely the biggest challenge I've ever faced." She said as Punk smiled, leaning over and kissing her softly, pulling her on top of him as they slid down the bed.

"I heard pregnancy makes you horny." AJ said between kisses as Punk smiled.

"That works for me." Punk said as she laughed, pressing her lips back against his softly, enjoying the warm embrace as they began to strip one another.

Punk rolled AJ onto her back, hovering over her as he kissed down her neck, tugging at her earlobe as she smirked and rolled her head back. She already felt different. Her senses felt different and she felt like just the act of him kissing her neck was gonna make her lose herself.

"Phil." AJ moaned sensually as he unclasped her bra, cupping her breasts softly once he removed her bra, using his tongue to swirl around her sensitive nipples as she arched her back off the bed completely. She was moaning and groaning loudly, enjoying his touch and his mouth on her all the more as Punk smiled at the reaction he was getting.

He left her breasts eventually and kissed down her chest, moving by her stomach where he kisses gently as she smiled looking down to him, watching as he shifted her panties to the side, diving straight in as he used his tongue between her folds.

"Oh, baby… that's it." AJ moaned longingly, "That feels so good, baby." She almost cried, looking down as he teased her clit with his tongue, eventually sliding a finger inside her as she moaned louder, lifting her hips up against his mouth whilst grabbing his hair. She was on cloud nine and felt like she was floating.

Punk slipped a second finger inside her, which seemed to do the trick as she eventually came after he used his fingers and tongue on her, watching her closely as she moaned and rolled her head back. It was his favourite part. Just watching her reaction. Listening to her. It made him rock hard.

"Fuck." AJ gasped, feeling her body pulsing as Punk made his way back up her body. He felt her take his hand, watching as she closed her mouth around the fingers he had inside her, smirking to himself as she licked them clean.

"Taste good?" Punk smirked as she nodded, flipping them over so he was on his back and she was straddling his hips on top. She pulled down her panties completely whilst he shuffled down his boxers, waiting for her as she reached behind for his length, sinking down upon him as she placed her hands flat on his chest.

"Oh my God." AJ moaned, her breath hitching under her as Punk smiled.

"You're beautiful." Punk said, placing his hand at the side of her neck, bringing her down so he could kiss her whilst she began to move her hips up and down, swallowing her moans as his hands moved to her hips. He was so thankful she was here, and so glad they were in this together. This next step in their relationship was probably the biggest step they could ever take, and he was glad they were doing it together. Nothing really felt like it would change between them. Their love would still be there, it always would be.

* * *

A few weeks later, AJ and Punk were finally telling people about the baby. They'd been for another scan and things were looking great. Dean and Seth almost fell over when Punk told them. A lot of people were shocked, not about the fact they were having a baby, but because AJ was gonna have to take time off work.

AJ had also spoken to her doctor again who was glad to see her recovering well, and had gone over medication options for during her pregnancy. She'd also decided on working until she was six months pregnant, of course just doing desk work. Punk was trying to get her to bring it down to four months, but AJ was standing her ground at six.

"So, are you worried at all?" Eve asked, sitting in AJ's office with her as they ate lunch. Their friendship had been slowly but surely mending again, and AJ was glad to have her back as someone she could talk to.

"I don't think worried is the right word." AJ said, "More nervous than worried." AJ nodded, "But it's still super early. I'm only three months."

"Time will fly by." Eve smiled, "What if… what if you have the baby and you don't wanna come back to work? That happens."

"Never." AJ almost laughed, "I wanna be back at least six months after the baby is born." AJ nodded, "That should be enough time to adapt to everything."

"You feel that way now, but what happens when you don't wanna part ways with it." Eve smiled, "It's gonna be so cute and tiny." She said.

"I still have to work." AJ shrugged, "I don't know. We'll take things as it comes." She nodded, finishing off her sandwich.

"You gonna tell your mom?" Eve questioned as AJ wiped her hand with her napkin.

"I didn't plan to." AJ said, "Why? Do you think I should?" She questioned.

"Only if you want to." Eve said, "It might be something she takes positively."

"My mother doesn't take anything positively." AJ shook her head, throwing her sandwich wrapper in the trash along with her napkin as she sat back on her office chair, "She won't care, and I don't think I really care about telling her." She said as Eve nodded. Eve understood the tough relationship she had with her mother, and completely agreed with the reasons why AJ wouldn't want to tell her about the baby.

"What about Phil's family?" Eve questioned.

"Just about the same, although, I haven't spoken to him about what he wants to do. I don't imagine he'll be fussed over telling them either." AJ shrugged, "Our family is here. That's who we care about." She said as Eve smiled.

"So can I throw you a shower-"

"No." AJ said immediately, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, c'mon. Please." Eve said, "It won't be a big deal. And it'll be later on in your pregnancy."

"I don't want a shower." AJ laughed, "I don't need people buying me gifts."

"They don't buy you gifts, they buy the baby gifts." Eve said.

"Same thing." AJ waved her hand, "No, I don't want a fuss." She shook her head as Eve just sat back in her chair as AJ watched her, "You're gonna throw me one anyway?"

"Yes, I am." Eve nodded as AJ just shook her head but laughed. She wouldn't admit it, but talking about the baby actually brought a glow around her. At first, when she found out about the baby, she was terrified, and worried and just thought about it as a negative thing, but her mind had changed so much over the past few weeks. She felt blessed to be having a baby with someone she loved and would always love. And she felt like she could relax that little bit more now that her sister's case had finally been closed. She was excited to start the next chapter of her life.

* * *

 **A/N: Still more to come! REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	36. Last Day

**Last Day**

* * *

"Ok, she's coming!" Eve shouted, rushing back into the station, standing over beside Dean and Seth whilst everyone else stood up waiting. The whole station was covered in Congratulations banners, with mixtures of pink and blue balloons.

It was AJ's last day before going on maternity leave and instead of Eve throwing her a shower like she had planned, she decided to give her a surprise send off for her last day. No doubt she'd be back as soon as the baby was here, but they all wanted to wish her good luck and well wishes for the baby coming, her and Punk.

AJ and Punk got into the station after a few minutes. Punk knew all about that surprise and was trying his best not to give it away.

AJ almost jumped out of her skin when she looked up at the station that was puking with blue and pink, everyone echoing surprise as they stood with their gifts. AJ leaned into Punk for a second, getting a massive fright, especially at 7am, but then she smiled tearfully. She never suspected a thing.

"Did you know about this?" AJ turned to Punk who nodded with a smile as AJ shoved him away causing everyone to laugh, "Oh my God." She smiled, placing her hands on her cheeks as she walked further into the station.

Her bump was now very visible, but it was still very petite. She'd just been doing desk work for the past few months, and even though she didn't want to leave to go on maternity leave, she was getting tired more easily and was beginning to get uncomfortable sitting in an office chair all day.

"This was so unnecessary." She shook her head as Dean wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly.

"No it wasn't, just be happy and let us shower you with love." Dean said as AJ smiled.

Her and Punk were given a gift from every single person in the station. She felt completely wasted and loved and couldn't believe how generous everyone had been. It was bitter sweet, because she knew she wouldn't be back in the office for probably at least a year, but she knew it was all for a perfectly exciting reason.

Her office had banners all over it with pink and blue balloons on the floor. She found it hard to spend her last day of work, actually working, but once everyone had given her and Punk their gifts, and everyone got back to work, she managed to sit down and actually get dug into her work for the day.

* * *

"We're gonna have to make like… four trips back and forth to the apartment with all the gifts." Punk admitted as he walked into her office later on in the day. He knew about the surprise and all the decorating in the station, but he had no idea everyone would be as generous as they were.

"No one had to get us anything. I can't believe it." AJ admitted, "It didn't have to be such a big deal." She said bashfully as Punk smiled.

"Well everyone is gonna miss you." Punk smiled, "Including me." He said, walking around and taking a seat on her desk in front of her as she sat back on her office chair, placing her hand on her growing bump.

"I'm gonna miss it." She sighed sadly, "Not just the work, but… the people. I had no idea everyone cared so much."

"You're a huge asset to the force, in case you haven't noticed." Punk smiled. He knew it was tough for her to be leaving to go on maternity leave. She loved her job. It was a huge part of her life, "How is junior?" Punk smiled. They had chosen not to find out the sex of the baby and instead of saying 'it' all the time, they had stuck to calling the baby junior. Although they still had their estimations, and both thought it was going to be a boy.

"Junior is fine." AJ smiled happily. She'd become incredibly comfortable with her pregnancy and was doing her best to stay positive and not become a nervous wreck, especially the closer it got to her due date, which still seemed like years away, "Although, Junior reckons pizza should be for dinner tonight." AJ nodded as Punk smiled.

"I'll see what I can do then." Punk nodded.

"I can't believe this is my last day." AJ sighed sadly as Punk frowned.

"You'll be back in no time, don't worry." Punk nodded to her, seeing her eyes glass over, "Ape, c'mon." Punk said as he watched tears roll down her cheeks, watching her quickly brush them away. She had been quite emotional the past few days. He understood her hormones were everywhere, but he could also understand that these were real tears she was crying.

"I just don't wanna leave." She cried as Punk sighed, standing up.

"Stand up." Punk said as AJ stood up, feeling his arms circle around her tightly, "You will be back in this office in no time, and everyone will be so excited to see you back." He said, kissing her head as AJ sniffled, "You're gonna have your hands full soon and work is gonna be the last thing you think about." He said as AJ nodded.

"You'll tell me all about the new detective sub, right?" AJ looked up at him. Obviously, Punk was still going to be heading to work for the time being, and figured he'd take a few weeks off when the baby was almost here, to settle in as a family and help AJ as much as she'd let him. She did have a stubborn trait.

"I'll tell you all about him… or her." Punk nodded, "But I already know they won't be as good as you."

"You're just saying that." AJ shoved him away as Punk laughed.

"I'm not. Everyone knows it." Punk smiled, "You've got nothing to worry about. When you're up at 4am changing diapers, you're not gonna be thinking about work."

"Me? Up at 4am changing diapers?" AJ laughed, sitting back down on her chair, "We both agreed you are taking on night time duty."

"We did?" Punk said, "I don't recall." He laughed, "You know I'll do the night feeds every night if you need me to." Punk smiled to her honestly.

"Well, if you insist." AJ smiled sarcastically, "Ok, I got an hour left. Let me enjoy it." She shoo'd him away with her hand.

"You're crazy." Punk shook his head with a smile, walking out of her office.

"That's why you love me!" AJ called to him as he left the office.

* * *

"I'm sort of glad Eve done that for me this morning, rather than a baby shower." AJ said, later that night sitting on the couch, feeling stuffed after a pizza with her boyfriend.

Boxes and gifts lay everywhere in the apartment. They'd only made a start on the nursery in what used to be just a spare bedroom next door to their own bedroom. They were going for a neutral theme that would be great for a boy or a girl.

"Yeah, she was talking to me about it and I thought you'd prefer it." Punk nodded, sitting next to her where she had her feet up on his lap. Ace lay across on the other couch, fast asleep. He'd been very protective of AJ and Punk was certain that he knew there was a baby in her tummy. Whenever Punk put his hands on her stomach to feel the baby kick, he would growl at him angrily. But it was in his nature to protect, especially AJ who was his whole world.

"I'm just so overwhelmed by how generous everyone was." AJ shook her head. She always knew the station was a family, but she really felt the love today, and it was the greatest send-off she could have ever hoped for. A send-off for the time being.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it." Punk agreed with her, "We'll barely have to buy anything." Punk laughed as AJ shook her head.

"They weren't that generous." AJ laughed a little, "I miss it already." She sighed, rolling her head back on the couch as Punk looked up at her, "Maybe I could just… work one day a week or something." She smiled to him.

"Behave yourself." Punk told her as she huffed, "You're gonna love being off. After a few days, you'll start getting used to it." He told her. He wasn't trying to tell her what to do, he just wanted her to be healthy, especially when her health was a big thing she tried to concentrate on, pregnant or not, and she knew herself that now was the right time to go on her leave.

"I know." AJ nodded, "I should just enjoy time with Junior." She placed her hand on her bump, "He's only gonna be in my tummy once. I should enjoy it." She smiled to herself as Punk looked at her, "I said he, didn't I?" AJ said as Punk nodded, "I can't help it. I know it's a boy." AJ smirked.

"You don't know anything." Punk reminded her, "Could be neither." He joked as AJ turned to him.

"I don't know why you say things like that." AJ shook her head. She loved his childish side normally, but during her pregnancy she'd had a very low patience barrier, and his immaturity sometimes rubbed her the wrong way. Of course, he just played along.

"What? Could be a little alien baby." Punk smiled to her.

"Yeah, with my huge forehead." AJ shook her head as Punk began measuring their foreheads, of course with his thumb and forefinger.

"It's not that huge." He concluded.

"Glad you think so." AJ nodded as he smiled, "I could go some ice-cream." She admitted, watching him closely. He sat in basketball shorts and a muscle t-shirt where his tattoos were all on show more or less. A big perk of her pregnancy was how horny she had been, "I could go a lot of things actually." She smirked whilst he had his eyes on the TV, paying that more attention until he felt her socked feet touch his crotch as he turned to her, watching her smirk.

"I'm sure we got ice-cream in." Punk told her as he watched her shuffle towards him.

"Mmm… I wanna lick something else." She smiled, leaning over and pressing her lips against his as he kissed back deeply. She had been wild, almost every night, and there was no quit in her.

They both broke away however when they heard a certain furry guy growling in the corner.

"Bedroom." AJ whispered to him, getting off the couch as she walked across to their bedroom as Punk smirked, slicking his hair back and standing up as he looked at Ace who watched him closely.

"Oh, stop it. I'm not gonna hurt her." Punk waved his hand at him, walking across to the bedroom when there was a knock at their front door. He groaned and backed up, walking over to the door and swinging it open as he saw a woman standing with a bag in her hand.

"Hi?" Punk said, in almost a questionable tone.

"Who are you?" The woman shook her head, taking out a piece of paper from her coat pocket, making sure she had the right address.

"Who are you?" Punk almost laughed as AJ crept out of their bedroom, walking up behind Punk as she looked on at the woman and gulped.

"Mom." She said.

* * *

 **A/N: Mom is in town… with a bag… oh no. REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	37. Mom Is In Town

**Mom Is In Town**

* * *

"You're pregnant." AJ's mother, Jeanette, said as she walked into the apartment, both AJ and Punk stepping back a little to let her in, unwillingly of course.

"What are you doing here?" AJ said. It was all she had to say. Her stomach was doing butterflies at the sight of her mother grabbing onto a large bag. This had to be the first time she had ever came to Chicago to visit her, and AJ only assumed it was because she was after something.

"What? I can't come visit my daughter?" Jeanette laughed, looking over as Ace walked over to her to sniff her out, "A dog. Why am I not surprised?" She laughed to herself whilst AJ and Punk looked at one another.

"Mom, why are you here? You don't ever visit me." AJ said, folding her arms which rested above her bump, whilst Punk stood silently behind. He didn't feel like he had much of a say in anything regarding her mother. It was AJ's mom, not his.

"Well I hadn't gotten the chance to speak to you since you stupidly tracked down your sister's killers and almost got killed yourself in the process." Jeanette shook her head, "Silly girl." She muttered to herself.

"I got them locked away. That's a good thing." AJ shook her head.

"Yes, for your own selfish reasons." Jeanette said, "Did it ever occur to you that I didn't want to see the faces of the men who killed my daughter? My eldest daughter? My responsible daughter." Jeanette said as AJ looked down at the floor, "You can fool everyone else, April. But not your mother. You can tell people you brought Gabby justice but I know you done it for your own personal gain." She shook her head, dumping her bag down as she began to unbutton her coat.

"I didn't." AJ spat, feeling Punk put his hand on her waist, rubbing it softly as she took a deep breath. She wasn't going to rise to her mother's behaviour. She wasn't going to entertain it, "How long are you staying here?"

"Oh, just a few days." Jeanette said as she walked around the apartment, having a look around. She'd never been to Chicago or to AJ's apartment. Her own daughter.

"And plan on staying here?" Punk butted in, "Only, we actually don't have room." He said. Their spare bedroom was in the process of being turned into a nursery.

"And who might you be?" Jeanette questioned, walking back over to them, choosing to acknowledge Punk again.

"Phil." Punk said simply as Jeanette nodded.

"And you're the father of this baby? Or did AJ just pick you up off the street?" She attempted to joke as Punk and AJ stood staring at her bluntly.

"Phil works with me. He's a police officer." She said as Punk nudged her, "Sergeant." She remembered, "He is a sergeant." She smiled proudly. She still wasn't used to addressing him that way, "We've been together for over a year." She said.

"Well, we all make mistakes." Jeanette chuckled to herself, looking at AJ's bump, "I can just sleep on the couch. I'll be no trouble." She waved her hand.

"Can you give us a minute?" Punk said as Jeanette nodded.

Punk pulled AJ into their bedroom, closing the door over as AJ placed her hands in her hair, "Absolutely no way." Punk shook his head.

"I don't know why she is even here." AJ shook her head.

"She's… she's a definitely a character, isn't she?" Punk shook his head, "What are we gonna do?" He asked her.

"Well I can't just throw her out. She'll have no money. She'll have spent it all on flights." She said, "It's just a few days."

"You said she makes you angry. You can't be in the same room with her for more than an hour. How are you gonna last a few days?" Punk asked.

"It'll be ok." AJ convinced herself, "She wants to know about Gabrielle's killers, and if she has her opinions then let her have them." She shrugged. She was trying not to seem bothered by her mother's arrival, but she was. Her mother was the one person who could make her feel small and that scared her.

"I'm not… I'm not getting in between you." Punk put his hands up, "I'm just gonna… let you deal with her." He said as AJ sighed, "You shouldn't be stressing with the baby. If it comes to it, I'll pay for her to stay somewhere else."

"No." AJ sighed, "She's my own mother. I can deal with her." AJ nodded, "Why don't you go take Ace out for a walk and I'll… I'll talk to her, clear any weird air between us." She said as Punk groaned.

"I have like a semi boner right now." Punk sighed, sitting down on the edge of their bed as AJ laughed to herself.

"Go to the bathroom and fix yourself then." She said as he ran his hands through his hair and walked off into the bathroom in their bedroom.

AJ took a deep breath to herself, trying to stay positive as she left the bedroom, "Can I get you anything?" AJ asked her mother, "Have you ate?"

"I have but a cup of coffee would be good." Jeanette said, walking into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table. Any decent mother would see their six-month pregnant daughter, and volunteer to make the coffee themselves, but no, Jeanette was very happy to watch AJ on her feet making her a cup of coffee.

"Ape, I'm gonna take Ace out now." Punk said, coming out of the bedroom as Jeanette turned to watch him.

"Ok." AJ called back as Jeanette watched Punk put Ace's leash on him and leave the apartment.

"He's very attractive, isn't he?" Jeanette turned to AJ who shook her head.

"I'm glad you think so, mom." AJ said.

"No, really. He's a handsome man. That baby will be cute." Jeanette nodded, "Cute and bipolar." She smirked as AJ turned to her, "What?" Jeanette shrugged innocently, "You were he one to uncover our shameful illness, April. I'm sure you'll pass it down."

"It's not shameful." AJ said, "I'm not ashamed of it." She made herself clear.

"Of course, you are." Jeanette said, "You just want a cry for help. You always have." Jeanette said. She didn't have a filter, especially when it came to saying all the wrong things. She was just a very harsh woman, and she always had been.

"I've never cried for help. There was no one I could cry to for the help." AJ spat, "You were never there and Gabrielle was gone." She said, "You're the only person ashamed of it."

"I'm not ashamed of it. I just think it's weak to give into it." Jeanette shrugged.

"it's an illness." AJ spat, "An illness that needs treated. You're just stupid if you think you can ignore it."

"Well I have all these years." Jeanette smiled.

"Yeah and how many times have you been put in hospital?" AJ said, turning back around to finish making the coffee.

"We all go through rough patches." Jeanette shrugged modestly as AJ walked over and sat her coffee down in front of her, taking a seat across from her, "Do you know what you're having?" Jeanette asked.

"No. We don't want to know." AJ said.

"And what about work? You're so unhealthily obsessed with your job. I never thought anything would stop you."

"It's good for my health if I take my maternity leave. Today was my last day actually." AJ nodded, "I'll be back before I know it. My goal is to be back when the baby is five or six months old." She said as Jeanette chuckled loudly.

"You're very optimistic, aren't you?" Jeanette said, "You won't be back until the child is at least one, and by that time they'll have found someone better anyway." She waved her hand whilst sipping on her coffee as AJ gulped. She always knew exactly what to say, just to worry and frighten her. Her mother didn't know just how good she was at her job, and she didn't care to know either.

"I won't be replaced." AJ said bluntly, "You don't know anything about my job or how it works. You've never cared to know." AJ said.

"You're a cop." Jeanette shrugged.

"I'm a detective." AJ said.

"Same thing to me." Jeanette said, "I read the article about your sister's killers in the newspaper. You really think I wanted to see their faces?" She questioned, "Now that's all I see when I go to sleep at night. Thanks to you."

"You should be happy that I found them out and I got them in prison." AJ spat, "It means they won't be able to hurt any more girls."

"The already took my daughter. I don't care about anything or anyone else." She said.

"They almost took me. They did take me and I fought back." AJ said, "Would you have… would you have even cared if they killed me?" She asked as Jeanette sipped on her coffee.

"You're a stupid girl." Jeanette hissed, "You're not ready to be a mother." She diverted the question.

"Yeah, because I didn't have the perfect mother to learn from. Did I?" AJ spat.

"I done all I could. Things were tough for us when your father walked out on us." Jeanette said.

"That's just an excuse." AJ shook her head, "You never tried to find work. Any money we had you spent on booze and cigarettes." AJ said.

"That's not true." Jeanette said.

"It is true." AJ said, "So you can predict how terrible a mother I'm going to be, but I have time to learn. You can't take anything back. You can't start over with me." She said.

"I wouldn't want to anyway." Jeanette said, "You were a nightmare as a child. Gabrielle was so well behaved. You were always… getting into trouble." She shook her head, "I thought you were engaged." She said, diverting the topic again, a thing she done quite often, just to make sure she was getting any sort of harsh comments that she could in.

"I was." AJ said, "But that relationship ended and I moved on." AJ said, "I'm happier now." She said, not that her mother cared. She always wondered if she ever took her medication, and she maybe sought therapy, if she would be warmer and more kind to her.

"Well you would be with a man like Phil." Jeanette nodded, "Does he know about your illness?" She asked.

"Yes, he knows." AJ said, "And he's not ashamed of me, if that's what you think. He loves me for me."

"I bet he pities you." Jeanette said, "Probably feels sorry for you."

"He doesn't." AJ spat, "You know nothing about him or my relationship with him. It's the one good thing that you can't have a say in." She told her as Jeanette just rolled her eyes, "Mom, why are you here? No, seriously. If you're just here to pass comment and make me feel like shit, like you always do, then I don't want you around." She shook her head.

"I'm not trying to make you feel like shit." Jeanette said, "I wanted to talk to you about your sister's killers, and I wanted to finally come out to Chicago." She shrugged.

"You said you didn't wanna know about it or think of their faces." AJ shook her head.

"Well you've given me no choice now, have you?" Jeanette said as AJ sighed.

"Well, it's late. I don't wanna get into it right now." AJ said, "I'm tired. I've had a long day."

"Go to bed then." Jeanette snapped as AJ looked across at her, standing up from the table as she walked off into the bedroom whilst Jeanette sat finishing her coffee.

"Here." AJ announced, coming back from the bedroom as she sat down a spare blanket and pillow, "Ace normally sleeps on this couch. So you can sleep on this one." She pointed as Jeanette rolled her eyes.

"It's a dog." Jeanette said.

"It's his apartment way more than it is yours." AJ said, "Have a good sleep." She said bluntly, walking back into her bedroom and shutting the door over.

* * *

Punk got home after walking Ace for as long as he could. When he got in the door he saw AJ's mother sitting on the couch watching TV, and he saw a pillow and a spare blanket beside her where he assumed she'd be sleeping for the night.

He didn't really have anything to say to the woman so he said, "Goodnight." He nodded to her as he headed to his bedroom.

"Goodnight." Jeanette smiled without even bothering to look at him.

Punk got into he and AJ's bedroom, closing the door over as he began to strip his clothes off, looking on at AJ lying in bed with her back facing him.

"Ape?" He whispered to see if she was awake, but she didn't respond. He stripped down to his boxers and got under the covers with her, feeling her begin to turn around to face him as he saw she had been crying, which was rare, she was very strong willed, "April." He sighed softly, cupping her cheek, "What happened?"

"She happened." AJ said, curling into him the best she could, it was a little harder now that her bump was in the space between them.

"April, if she is upsetting you then I have no problem telling her to go." Punk made himself clear. He wasn't happy about her mother just waltzing on into their apartment, and making his girlfriend feel this way. He didn't know what it was, but it was like her mother was her weak spot, and he couldn't figure out why.

"I don't know why I listen to her." AJ shook her head, "It's not like I listen to anyone else." She laughed, trying her best to not get down. Punk smiled and squeezed her tightly, kissing her head.

"Let her talk shit. She's the one who looks like a fool." Punk said.

"I don't understand why she's here." AJ whispered, "She's either here to tell me something or she wants something from me." AJ said, still curled into him.

"Well whatever it is, don't let her get to you." Punk said. Things had been going good for them, and he didn't want her mother ruining it, "Will you be ok with her tomorrow?" He said, since he had to go to work.

"I'll have to be." AJ rolled her eyes, already dreading it.

"You need anything you call me, ok?" Punk told her, "Don't get upset. I hate when you cry." He said, kissing her head as she smiled. Her mother did get on her nerves, and the things she said did hurt her, but she was trying to think of the positive side. Her life wasn't a mess. She had a great job, a great boyfriend, a baby on the way. Her mother could say whatever she wanted, but she couldn't take away the fact that she had made it on her own, and was building her own family. A family that she could never give her and her sister.


	38. The Final Breakdown

**The Final Breakdown**

* * *

"Why is her mom in town? Her mom is never in town." Eve shook her head, following Punk round the station as he had collected some papers from the printer, walking back to his desk with Eve.

"April thinks she's after something." Punk shrugged, placing the papers down on his desk and turning to her, "I'm worried she's stressing. That's not good for the baby." He shook his head.

"She'll be ok." Eve nodded to assure him as he sat down on his chair. It was strange not having AJ around the station. Her office was in darkness and sometimes he caught himself looking up to smile at her through the glass, only to realise she wasn't there. He couldn't stop thinking about her at home.

"Her mom really gets to her." Punk shook his head, "And I don't know why. She'll take shit off of anyone, and then when it comes to her it's like she just freezes." He said as Eve sat on his desk as he sunk back into his chair.

"She sees a lot of herself in her mom, that's why." Eve nodded, "She spends so much time trying to make sure she doesn't end up like her."

"There's no way that could happen, though." Punk said, "I know we all got our own insecurities, but it's like… her mom is hers." Punk shook his head as Eve nodded.

"When we were in the academy together, everyone went home for Christmas. Apart from me and AJ." She said, "She opened up to me about her mom. Said she was the only person that could ever make her feel small." Eve nodded, "She reckons it's because of the illness, she thinks her mom knows her so well but… I know she doesn't. We know AJ. We know who she is. Fun, witty, stubborn, smart… meanwhile mom thinks she's desperate, attention seeking, dramatic… and AJ would believe that over what we think." Eve said.

"But why?" Punk shook his head, "She's not any of those things. She's the strongest person I know."

"She's modest." Eve shrugged, "She always has been."

"So what her mom just purposely brings her down and she lets her?" Punk asked as Eve shrugged.

"I don't know much about her mom. I just know how AJ feels about it all. She doesn't need her bad mouthing her and stressing her out when she's pregnant, I agree with you on that, but maybe it's best they… spend some time together and talk to one another." She said.

"I'm not gonna let her stay at my place if she has nothing but bad things to say about Ape." Punk shook his head, "She can go do one." He said as Eve smiled, "Why are you smiling?" Punk asked her.

"Because I'm glad she has someone looking out for her." Eve smiled, "Maybe it's best to let her deal with this. Let her figure it out." She nodded, "If she needs you, she'll let you know."

"That's the thing though, Ape doesn't take any help from anyone." Punk said as Eve nodded, knowing that to be true, "I told her, I'm not coming in between them, but if I hear anything I don't like I'm not biting my tongue." He shook his head as Eve nodded.

"It's weird. Her not being here." Eve admitted, "You miss her?" She smiled.

"I do." Punk nodded, "I feel like I don't know what to be doing with myself." He admitted as Eve laughed lightly, looking up when she saw a woman in a suit walk up the station.

"Who the hell is that?" She nudged Punk as he turned around. They both watched as the woman walked down the station, everyone staring at the unfamiliar face as she walked down the station. Her hair was bleach blonde. She had to be around AJ's age. Her power suit was tight and Punk had to kick Dean beside him for staring just a little too much.

Then they watched as she opened up AJ's office which had been cleared out by AJ for the detective sub who was covering for her whilst she was on maternity leave, and they all watched as she sat down behind the desk.

* * *

"Ape, I'm home!" Punk called out as he walked into the apartment later that night, Ace jumping up on him on his arrival as he patted the dog friendlily, "Damn, something smells good." Punk smiled to himself, "You're really getting better at-" He paused as he walked round to the kitchen, looking on at her mother standing in the kitchen cooking.

"She was tired. She's having a nap." Jeanette said casually, "So I made you dinner." She said as Punk raised his eyebrows with confusion.

"How long has she been napping for?" Punk asked, placing his things down on the kitchen table.

"Not long. She was out with the dog all day to avoid me and her feet hurt." Jeanette shrugged.

"You didn't have to make me anything." Punk made clear, "I can cook my own stuff."

"I was making something for myself anyway." Jeanette said, "I insist. Plus, we haven't gotten a chance to talk yet. Just us two." She said, plating the food she had made as Punk nervously gulped, finding himself trapped.

"I should wake Ape for her to get some too." Punk said.

"You leave her be. She's tired and pregnant. Let her sleep." Jeanette warned as Punk gulped, pulling out the kitchen chair and taking a seat. She was a very brutal woman. Very harsh and demanding. He understood why AJ felt so small by her sometimes.

"Did you speak with her at all today?" Punk asked her as she sat down across from him once putting dinner down.

"In the morning, but then she found things to do so she wouldn't have to talk to me." Jeanette shrugged.

"I don't mean to be rude but… you being here is causing her a lot of stress and… she doesn't need it. Not right now." Punk shook his head.

"She shouldn't feel stressed. I'm her mother." Jeanette said.

"Yeah, exactly." Punk mumbled as Jeanette glared across at him.

"So, how'd you meet?" Jeanette asked.

"At work." Punk said, "She was a rookie. I'd been there for two years. I knew what it felt like to be new and nervous, so I took her under my wing." Punk nodded.

"So she slept her way through promotions." Jeanette smiled, getting a kick.

"No." Punk said hastily, "She was my friend. Best friend." Punk said, "And she was for eight years before anything happened between us." He made himself clear as Jeanette nodded, "She's one of the best detectives our department has ever had." He said as Jeanette seemed to let that roll right by her.

"So, what happened to her fiancé?" Jeanette asked curiously.

"Things didn't work out." Punk said bluntly.

"Meaning…"

"Meaning, things didn't work out." Punk repeated.

"Did she cheat on him with you?" Jeanette asked suspiciously.

"No." Punk said, "Is that all you're interested in? Trying to pick out things to put her down?" Punk asked, "She's a good woman. She's done good things. She's got a heart of gold and you're not even interested in anything unless it's something you can criticise her for." Punk said, refusing to eat any of the dinner that she had made.

"That's not true." Jeanette defended as Punk rolled his eyes, "April isn't a perfect woman."

"Yeah, well she is in my eyes." Punk said.

"She's ill. She's sick." Jeanette said, "She isn't wired to be a mother. She'll do just as good a job as I did raising her and her sister." Jeanette told him, "Why'd you think her father walked out on us?" She asked.

"April isn't sick. She has a mental illness that she takes care of and acknowledges because she's not afraid of it." He said, "And I'm proud of her for that."

"She is afraid of it. And she's ashamed." Jeanette nodded.

"No. You are. You can't stand the fact that April is comfortable with who she is and you're not. That's not on her that you feel like that. You should… You should look up to her and admire her for how strong she is. You don't know the half of what she's faced in her time with the force, and you don't even care to know either." Punk said.

"She killed her sister!" Jeanette yelled, losing her temper as she brushed her plate off the kitchen table where it smashed into thousands of pieces on the floor as Punk looked up at her, "She is the reason her sister is dead. That's why… that's why she has this guilt. This weight on her shoulders all the time." Jeanette said whilst AJ crept out of her and Punk's bedroom.

"You need to calm down." Punk stood up as Jeanette glared at him.

"What's going on?" AJ asked sleepily as she walked further over to them, "What happened?" She asked, seeing the smashed plate and food all over the floor, approaching Punk as she curled into him.

"Tell him." Jeanette said, "Tell him what you did that night."

"What?" AJ shook her head, looking up at Punk as he looked as clueless as her, "What night?"

"The night your sister went missing. Who encouraged her to go out?" Jeanette asked, "Who helped her get dressed up and encouraged her to go see her boyfriend? Who?" Jeanette looked across at AJ who gulped.

"I-I didn't know what was gonna happen." AJ shook her head, "It wasn't my fault."

"That's why you feel so guilty, isn't it? It's why you've tried so hard to find her killers." Jeanette said.

"I've had enough of this." Punk shook his head, "You think April killed her sister? You think she's the reason she's dead?" Punk spat as Jeanette nodded, "Where were you that night?" Punk asked, pushing the kitchen chair over angrily, "Huh? Where were you that night that your daughter was taken?" Punk asked angrily as AJ watched him.

"Don't you dare-"

"No!" Punk yelled, "No, don't you are. You have no right to say such a thing. April loved her sister and all they had was each other." Punk said, "You're gonna pack your bag and you're gonna leave this apartment. Tonight." Punk said.

"But I-"

"You better start packing." Punk said as Jeanette looked across at him. Finally, she'd met someone who actually stood up to her, and she didn't like it one bit, "C'mon." Punk turned to AJ, placing his hand at the small of her back, guiding her away into their bedroom whilst Jeanette stood paused in the kitchen.

"Why is she saying that?" AJ said sadly as Punk shut the bedroom door, "Why would she say that?" She asked frantically.

"Don't listen to anything that comes out of her mouth." Punk shook his head angrily.

"It's true though. I-I told my sister to go out that night." AJ nodded, "If I didn't maybe she would have stayed home."

"April, don't do this." Punk said, "You can't let her manipulate you." He said, "She's not on any medication and she's upset. She's not healthy. That's probably why she's saying all that shit."

"But it's true." AJ said, sitting down on the edge of their bed. It was always something she thought about. It was a night she remembered very clearly. How she encouraged her sister to go out with her boyfriend who she had no idea was a sociopathic serial killer. She even helped her pick an outfit and do her hair. She always wondered what would have happened if she just asked her sister to stay at home that night.

"April, it's not true. You're not the reason your sister is dead." Punk said, "She just wants to blame you. She wants to blame you for something." Punk nodded, "You can't let her get into your head." He said as AJ sighed, running her hand through her hair as they suddenly began to hear various things smashing from the kitchen.

Punk left the room first as AJ followed behind, walking to the kitchen where her mother seemed to be losing it. She'd saw her mother have plenty of breakdowns before, some minor and some major, but nothing had ever compared to this.

Every piece of cutlery, every plate and pot and bowl, anything in sight really, had been taken from their kitchen and smashed on the floor. Punk had never seen someone so unstable.

"Call an ambulance." Punk nodded to AJ who seemed in a terrifying trance as she listened and watched her mother mentally breakdown, "April, go call an ambulance." Punk got her attention as AJ nodded, rushing away to go call 911 as Ace followed her to protect her.

Punk couldn't make out what Jeanette was screaming, but it was a mixture of different things. A part of him felt incredible sympathy for her, because this was her illness, but it was on her to keep on top of it and treat her illness. That didn't mean he wouldn't help her, regardless of his opinion on her.

"Ok. Ok." Punk put his hands up as he looked across at Jeanette, "Ok, just… calm down." Punk nodded soothingly, "It's all gonna be ok." He said whilst AJ was on the phone explaining what was wrong with her mother, "Just… take a deep breath with me." Punk encouraged as Jeanette stood paused, taking a deep breath with him, standing amongst the shattered glass.

Punk kept her cool until help finally came which AJ had phoned. EMT's had come, but also a doctor in a white coat which Punk had expected. He let them take over as he returned to AJ's side, wrapping his arm around her as she placed her forehead against his chest, not wishing to watch as they pulled her mother out of the apartment.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	39. Cry For Help

**Cry For Help**

* * *

"Baby, you should go home. It's getting late. I'll-I'll stay here and call you with any news." Punk said, sitting next to AJ in the waiting room in the hospital.

"No. I'm not going anywhere." AJ shook her head stubbornly, "Now… Now is my chance to get her help. Maybe… Maybe that's why she came here. Maybe it was a cry for help." She turned to Punk who wasn't all for agreeing with her.

"I don't think she came here for help, babe." Punk shook his head, "Why has she never… accepted the illness? Why has she never gotten treatment for it?"

"Because she's embarrassed of it." AJ said, "She thinks it's weakness."

"You know it's not, right?" Punk said as she nodded to him, "Maybe you're right. Maybe she'll finally get the help she needs."

"She's been to hospital before but, she's always checked herself out and pretended there was nothing wrong." She said.

"They're gonna section her and they'll figure out what's wrong with her, whether she wants them to or not." Punk said as she nodded, "I feel bad for shouting at her." He admitted. He had lost his temper with her mother and he felt bad now that she was in hospital. He knew that part of her behaviour was because of her illness, and he didn't want to take that out on her, but he also knew a lot of it was perhaps envy. Envy of AJ managing to live her life with her illness whilst she struggled.

"Don't." AJ said, "She's bipolar, but she can be a bitch too." AJ nodded, placing her hand on her belly and rubbing it gently.

"You ok?" He asked worriedly.

"Yeah, just… a lot of kicking." AJ smiled to him as he nodded.

"He'll sense you're stressed." Punk said as she smiled.

"You said he." She smiled happily as he laughed lightly. He was trying his best to be there for her. He saw the look on her face when her mother was taken away. He saw her turn away into his chest, not baring to see the sight. Despite their unsteady relationship, it was still her mother, Punk understood that.

"Uh… Miss Mendez?" A doctor approached them as they both stood up, "May I speak to you?" The doctor asked as AJ nodded, turning to Punk who nodded and sat back down.

"Please, I'll take you to my office for a seat." The doctor smiled, noticing AJ's pregnant belly as AJ laughed a little.

"Special pregnancy perks." AJ smiled.

"Absolutely." The doctor nodded, guiding AJ to his office. Her mother had been checked into the psych ward of the hospital, but AJ and Punk were told to wait downstairs at the main waiting room outside the reception.

"Is she ok?" AJ asked, walking into Doctor Sans office, taking a seat across from his desk as he sat behind it.

"She's not looking very good." The doctor said as AJ nodded, "She's… very aggressive, very… hard to cooperate with." He said as AJ nodded, "And well, well overdue a visit to here." He said as AJ nodded.

"I-I don't have close contact with her." AJ explained, "She's never been good at accepting her mental health problems. She's always been very distant." She said as the doctor nodded, "She came here out of the blue this weekend and tonight she just… lost it." AJ nodded.

"Yeah, we can see she reached her breaking point." The doctor nodded, "We're gonna keep her admitted here for a few days. She can't check herself out since she's been officially admitted to the psych ward. But… I'd like to talk about moving her to a mental health hospital." He said.

"She'd never agree to that." AJ said immediately.

"Maybe after a few days here, taking her meds and seeking some counselling, you might be able to… convince her." The doctor said, "I believe it would benefit her, especially when she's gone so long in suffering the way she has."

"She won't take the help. I know my mother." AJ said, "She won't go unless she's dragged there." AJ nodded.

"I can see there's a strain on your relationship, and it's none of my business but… you can understand her, and understand how she feels, better than I can." The doctor said as AJ looked down at the ground, "I wanna make this as simple and affective as I can for you. Stress isn't good for the baby." He added his doctors expertise as AJ nodded.

"What good will sending her away do?" AJ questioned.

"A number of things." The doctor said, "She'll get the proper care and treatment there. She'll get to know people with the same illness as her. She'll be around people who understand her. She'll learn more about her illness and how to… accept it." The doctor nodded, "You can visit her any time."

"Why can't she get the treatment here?" AJ asked. She didn't like the idea of sending her mother away to some mental house. She knew her mother wouldn't agree to it anyway, and she didn't think it was going to help her.

"We can only provide a few weeks treatment plan for her. She'll get therapy here, as well as her medication, but in a hospital that is equipped to help her and help her illness, I think it would have a greater effect on her." The doctor nodded as AJ sighed, resting back against the chair, "I know it's a lot to think about, I'll let you discuss it with your husband and you can come to me if you have any questions." He said as AJ nodded, smiling to herself at the doctor referring to Punk as her husband.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, "When can I see her?" She asked.

"Well, we've just got her stable. Maybe tomorrow but it really depends on how she responds over the next twenty-four hours." The doctor said as AJ nodded, "She'll get the treatment she needs here, but for a more affective impact, I think it would be good to consider placing her in a hospital to focus purely on her health." He concluded as AJ nodded.

She knew it was the best option, she just didn't want to seem like the bad guy sending her mother away, but it was for her own good. She'd suffered all these years because she was embarrassed and ashamed of the illness, so maybe it was time she went somewhere where she learned to accept her illness.

"Thank you for your help." AJ smiled, standing up and extending her hand across to shake the doctors hand before leaving the office.

* * *

"What are you thinking?" Punk asked on the drive home to their apartment. AJ had told him everything the doctor had suggested to her, and he wanted to know what she thought.

"I mean… she's never had anyone around to place her somewhere that would give her the help she needed. Maybe… Maybe it's what I have to do." She nodded, "It's not like she could hate me anymore." She sighed as Punk pulled up outside their apartment.

"Well she's never really gave any sort of treatment a chance, has she?" Punk said, "Maybe it would be the best thing for her." He said, "For her best interest."

"I just don't want her to be scared." AJ sighed. Although her mother had a very nasty side to her that AJ always saw, she still loved her and didn't want her to hurt. She could have easily just walked away from her with the way she had been treated over the years, but she wasn't going to do that.

"She won't be scared. She's in the best place. The best place she's ever been probably." Punk nodded, "Going somewhere that can help her accept the illness, and that can teach her how to live with it… it might be the best thing she's ever done." Punk nodded as AJ sighed to herself, resting her head back against the seat, "Please don't stress. We'll figure it out." He said.

"It's hard not to stress." She admitted to him.

"I know." Punk nodded, "But it's not just you. You gotta take it easy for junior." He reminded her.

"The doctor said that." AJ nodded, placing her hand on her bump and taking a deep breath.

"C'mon." Punk nodded, getting out of the car and swinging his door shut as AJ got out, walking round the car and onto the sidewalk as they walked into their apartment block. She was glad he was here to help her. He was a great calm in her life that she could always turn to, and hearing the doctor address him as her husband actually gave her butterflies, which she was surprised about.

They walked up the stairs and got into their apartment. Punk had cleared up all the mess from Jeanette's breakdown before they left to go to the hospital, so it was simple enough for them to go straight to bed.

The night hadn't gone how they had planned, but he couldn't help think that Jeanette was in the best place. Maybe she'd finally accept the treatment and help she was being given. He knew AJ would never have that close mother daughter bond with her, he knew that was long lost, but he also knew AJ still cared about her and wanted her to be ok, which he understood.

"She'll be ok." Punk assured AJ who nodded in silence, getting into her pyjamas as Punk watched her. The last thing he wanted, was to see his girlfriend sad. This was supposed to be an exciting time for them, leading up to the last few months of AJ's pregnancy, getting ready for their new arrival, but things just seemed very doom and gloom.

He stripped to his boxers and got into bed as she got in beside him. She just wanted to forget about everything. There was a part of her that felt guilty for not getting her mother this sort of help sooner, but it was her mother? Wasn't is she who was supposed to take care of her? And besides, she'd always pushed any sort of help away.

"Talk to me." Punk whispered, wrapping his arms around her, curling up behind her where his chest rested against her back, "C'mon." He said softly, placing a tender kiss on her neck.

"I don't really feel like talking now." AJ told him truthfully as he nodded. He understood she was feeling upset, and all he could do was be there for her. It was very rare to see her this way. She was such a strong character in her work life and her personal life, but this seemed to have touched a nerve with her and she just seemed very down.

"Ok then." Punk whispered softly, "No talking." He said, kissing her neck softly as she closed her eyes and relaxed into him. She just wanted to get lost in him and let him hold her and comfort her the way only he knew how to do.

He continued to kiss her neck, placing his hand on her bump whilst she continued to lay on her side in front of him whilst he spooned her from behind. He moved his hand from her bump down to her pyjama shorts, dipping his hand in where he separated her folds and began playing with her clit, causing her to press her back into his chest, her head knocking off his chin by accident whilst he leaned back down to kiss her neck.

"Phil." She whispered sensually. Everything felt that little bit better with her hormones being all over the place, and what she really needed was to be taken far away, to lose herself and forget about everything, to keep her baby happy and healthy, and also took keep herself happy and healthy.

"I'm gonna make you feel so good." Punk whispered, nudging her neck as she moaned, feeling him continue to massage her clit, already creating a pool between her folds whilst he instantly got hard, his length poking up against her butt which she kept pressing back into him.

"Please, baby. I want you inside me." She moaned desperately as he nodded, continuing to kiss her neck as he pulled her shorts and panties down, pulling his own boxers down and kicking them out of the bed as he positioned himself at her entrance.

AJ moaned loudly when she felt him slide inside her. There was something about them having sex during her pregnancy that made her feel all that closer to him. She didn't know if it was because it did feel better, or if it was because his child was growing inside her and they were connected so much more than what she ever thought.

"Phil." She moaned, reaching her hand back and cupping his cheek from behind as he moved his hips, thrusting into her from the side as he held her leg up just a little to give him easy access. He always made sure she was comfortable and he could always tell by the sounds of things.

"That's it, baby." Punk whispered, moaning himself as he thrust in and out of her, dropping her leg for a second as he moved his hand up her body, pushing the straps of her tank top down as well as her bra straps, pulling the bra down to free her breasts, not having time to unclasp her bra, but wanting desperately to touch her.

"Oh, Phil." AJ moaned blissfully as he cupped her breasts whilst thrusting into her. She was in love with their rhythm. They always found the perfect one to accommodate each other's needs. Right now, it was everything she needed and more. His love.

He continued to thrust into her, going deeper as he felt her jump a little, smirking to himself as he tugged on her earlobe, "There it is." He whispered, knowing he hit her g-spot perfectly which always sent her way over the edge, "You want it deep, baby?"

"Mhm." AJ nodded, "Please, baby. Please don't stop." She begged. She needed this. She wanted this.

She continued to lose herself in him for the rest of the night. She enjoyed the intensity of it all and how they didn't have to be ripping at each other's clothes and throwing each other against the wall to create magic, although that was normally their style.

She just felt really lucky to have him, and she knew whatever decisions she had to make regarding her mother, he'd help her with it just like he always did. She couldn't think of a better baby daddy for her. He was keeping her and the baby both happy and healthy and that's what she needed throughout everything that was going on.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	40. Slap Of Reality

**Slap Of Reality**

* * *

"She was admitted to hospital?" Eve asked the next morning as Punk got into work to let her know what had happened. He knew it was really no ones business but Eve was a good friend, and he trusted her.

"We didn't really have a choice." Punk admitted, taking a seat at his desk, "She just… lost it." He shook his head, "Now AJ has to decide whether she completes the hospitals treatment programme for a few weeks, or she goes to a mental hospital to stay for a while, and get better." Punk said.

"What is AJ thinking?" Eve asked.

"The mental hospital." Punk nodded, "She needs to take this opportunity now if she wants to help her mother in any way. If she can get her in a mental hospital, there might be a good chance she walks out feeling better." He said.

"It won't just be that easy though." Eve said.

"I know." Punk nodded, "AJ doesn't think she'll agree to going." He shrugged, "A part of me just wants to tell AJ to forget about her. If she doesn't want the help, if she doesn't want to get better then that's her decision, but I know AJ wants to do all she can to help her now that she's in hospital." Punk nodded, "I mean you should have heard the stuff she was saying to AJ before she broke down. Screaming that she killed her sister." Punk said as Eve gasped.

"Oh my God." Eve said as Punk nodded.

"And then AJ starts believing what she says." Punk shook his head, "You put her in front of a serial killer with a gun and she'll run her mouth like no tomorrow. Put her in front of her mom and she just… freezes and takes it all in." Punk said, "It doesn't make any sense."

"Like I said before, her mom has always gotten to her." Eve said.

"Clearly." Punk nodded, "She shouldn't be worrying about this stuff. Not with the baby." He shook his head.

"Her and the baby will be just fine. It's up to AJ what she wants to do for her mother." Eve reminded him as he nodded, "Is she going to visit her in the hospital?"

"I'm taking her tonight. If the doctors let us in." Punk nodded just as they listened to AJ's office door shut, the blonde woman walking down the station as they watched her stop at them.

"I've been introducing myself to everyone this morning and I seemed to have missed out you both." She smiled pleasantly to them, "I'm Kylie." She smiled, "I am the new detective here." She said as Punk looked at her bluntly.

"Sub." Punk stood up, "Sub detective." He reminded her.

"Well." Kylie smiled modestly, "You must be Sergeant Brooks." She nodded, "And Officer Torres." She turned to Eve who nodded, "You're all a close bunch here." She observed, placing her hands in her trouser pockets.

"Like family." Eve smiled.

"I can see that." Kylie smiled, "Apparently, according to… Rocky? Rocky, is that his name?" She questioned, looking over to Rocky who was standing with Dean.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"According to him, I have a lot to live up to." She smiled.

"You really do." Punk agreed, "You're just keeping the seat warm until Detective Mendez comes back." He made himself clear. He knew what subs done. They tried to make good impressions so they could be replaced and take over, but no one was taking over from AJ, not on his watch.

"Well she is having a baby. She'll be gone for some time." Kylie smiled.

"But she'll be back." Eve nodded as Kylie smiled.

"Right." Kylie smiled, "Well I better get back to work." She pointed back to her office as they both nodded, watching her walk away as Punk sat back down at his desk.

"I dislike her." Punk said as Eve nodded.

"She's got it all figured out, doesn't she?" Eve turned to him, "Best not to mention to AJ that the new detective is a female, blonde, sexy as hell and no doubt after her job." Eve said.

"No one is getting AJ's job." Punk made clear as Eve nodded, "She's nothing compared to AJ."

"You're just bias." Eve shoved him as Punk smiled.

"I'm not." Punk defended, "She has nothing on AJ. On work point of view." He said as Eve just nodded.

"Ok, I better get to work." She told him, "Tell AJ I was asking for her." She squeezed his shoulder as Punk nodded, watching her walk off.

* * *

AJ had spent the majority of her day napping, playing with Ace, looking up different mental homes and hospitals close by, and burning two pots of soup. Overall, a rather busy day. But it made the day go quicker, and Punk was home before she knew it.

"Hey, sweetness." Punk smiled, walking round into the kitchen where AJ was, sitting his things down on the kitchen table as she smiled.

"Hey, how was work?" She smiled. It felt so strange saying that since they both always knew what had gone on at work. She wasn't really enjoying playing mom at home, even though there was no baby yet. She was desperate to be in her office to let her mind wander off into some other case.

"It was ok." Punk nodded, "Drug raid. Missing person report. Oil leak. You know it." Punk shrugged as she nodded.

"Still no detective?" She questioned as Punk looked over at her as she stirred around whatever she was making in the pot. He wanted to tell her, because there was really nothing she had to worry about, but he felt like telling her was just one more thing she'd have to think about.

"Uh… no. Not yet." Punk said.

"I could have stayed until they found one." AJ said.

"Things are pretty quiet in the station just now, anyway." Punk said.

"Because I'm not there." AJ smirked to herself as he nodded, creeping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, placing his hands on her bump as she smiled.

"I miss looking over to your office and seeing you." Punk admitted as she smiled.

"I'll be back in no time." She nodded positively, "I figured we'd have this and then go to the hospital." She said, turning around to him as he nodded, "Doctor Sans called me. My mom is still not really responding to anyone, but she's had her course of medication." AJ nodded.

"Well, it's baby steps, right?" Punk said as she nodded.

"I've been looking at mental hospitals and homes all day." AJ told him, "I think a home would actually be more suitable for her." She admitted, "It's still all the same sort of treatment but it looks like it would be easier to settle into. Like it wouldn't feel like a hospital. She'd get her own private room. There's gardens outside. There's activities." AJ nodded, "I think it might be the better option." She said as Punk nodded.

"It sounds like the better option." Punk nodded, "It's just… convincing her to go that's the major problem." He said.

"I know." AJ sighed, "I'm hoping maybe after a few days of being in hospital, getting the medication in her system, maybe speaking to a therapist a few times, that she'll maybe hear me out, or hear a doctor out." AJ nodded.

"We'll do all we can. Anything I can do to help, I will." Punk nodded as AJ smiled.

"I'm just trying to stay positive." She admitted, walking over to the kitchen table with him.

"Good. Things will start to get better." He nodded, "They might get a little worse first, but they'll get better, and you might end up… getting the mom you've always deserved."

"I-I don't think we'll ever have a relationship, whether she's in good health or not." AJ admitted, there was too much between them that couldn't be fixed, "But anything I can do to help her, I will." She nodded as Punk smiled.

* * *

They headed to the hospital later that night after having dinner and walking Ace. The doctor had advised that only one of them go and speak to Jeanette in her room, so Punk decided to wait down in the waiting room, although the idea of AJ going up to psych ward by herself terrified him. He knew there were plenty of doctors there, though.

"How has she been today?" AJ spoke to the doctor as they walked down the ward to her mother's room.

"Better than yesterday." The doctor nodded positively, "Still very argumentative and aggressive but… that should ware off once her meds start kicking in." He said as AJ nodded.

"I've been actually looking at different homes and hospitals for her and… I think a home might be more suitable for her. Not anything like an old person's home, the one I looked at accepted woman my age. I just think she'd adapt to that better than being in a hospital." AJ admitted as the doctor nodded.

"I agree. Some patients will benefit more from the home or the hospital." The doctor said, "I'm glad you've been looking into things because I do believe that it's the best option for your mother."

"I'd like to obviously go check the home out first." AJ said, "Just to make sure she'll be ok there, and then… I'll have to convince her to go. Which will probably be the hardest part." AJ shook her head.

"Give it a few days, let her adapt to the treatment here and then I can help you talk to her about it." The doctor nodded, "You have our support." He said as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded.

"This is her room here." The doctor said, "Buzz if you need anything." He told her as AJ nodded, walking into the room, looking over at her mother sitting by the window. She didn't know what to expect, whether she'd already be feeling better or if she was just the same.

"Mom." AJ said softly, so not to startle her, watching as her mother turned around from the window, looking across at her, "Hey." AJ smiled.

"Well, look who it is." Jeanette laughed, "My wonderful daughter." She said sarcastically, "My wonderful daughter who put me in this place." She spat, "This… This is where crazy people go."

"No, it's not, mom." AJ shook her head, placing her bag down, "This is for people who just… need a little bit of extra help. I've… I've been here." She nodded, "And it-it opened my eyes to so much." She nodded.

"You haven't been here." Jeanette spat.

"I have." AJ said, "In New Jersey. I overdosed on pills and woke up in a ward just like this one." She said, "I was eighteen."

"I would have remembered." Jeanette shook her head, keeping her focus out the window.

"You weren't there." AJ said, "Mrs Brown, our neighbour found me." AJ nodded, "So I know how this feels. I know how isolated you feel, but to get better, you have to accept the help here." She said.

"I don't need help." Jeanette said.

"You do." AJ said, "You're sick. You have been for the longest time and maybe…. Maybe I should have done something sooner to help you, but you know what, I'm here now and I'm gonna make sure you get better." She nodded as Jeanette shook her head.

"Gabrielle would never put me here." Jeanette said as AJ folded her arms.

"Gabrielle never knew anything about our illnesses." AJ reminded her, "She would want you to get better, and this is where you get better."

"This is just showing weakness." Jeanette spat.

"You know what, mom. Sometimes that's ok." AJ nodded, "To show a little bit of weakness. To ask for a little bit of help. It's not a crime." She said, "I am managing to live my life normally, and that's because I accept what I have to do. I take my meds, I see my doctor, I do things that make me happy. I avoid things that don't." She said.

"You're just perfect, aren't you?" Jeanette stood up.

"I'm not perfect." AJ said, "But I try and have a normal life. You can have one too." AJ nodded, "You just gotta accept the help."

"Your father would be laughing at you right now." Jeanette said, "Both of us actually. If he knew you were so needy and desperate for attention. We deal with our own problems, in our own ways, by ourselves. That's how you were raised." She said, "We don't cry for help. No wonder your father walked out on us." She shook her head.

"If crying for help for a few minutes, helps me out in the long run, helps me have a normal life and a normal family, then I don't care." AJ said, "Neither should you. There's no shame in this." AJ said. She couldn't emphasise it enough.

"You had no right to put me in here." Jeanette said, walking over to AJ, "You just want rid of me. So I'm not your problem."

"I want to help you, mom." AJ said desperately.

"I don't want your help!" Jeanette yelled, "I don't want help from anyone!" She shouted as AJ jumped, "You just put on a brave face and you pretend everything is fine when it's not." She said, "You're going to be an awful mother to that child." She pointed to AJ's stomach, "It has no hope or future." She spat.

"Stop it." AJ shook her head, tears welling in her eyes, feeling her mother grab her by the hair, pulling her closer to her as she winced.

"You put me in here!" She shouted, "And you are the reason I have this illness!" She screamed in her face, letting go of the grip on her hair as AJ looked across at her, hurt in her expression… and then she felt a sharp slap across her face.

Like Punk had touched on earlier with Eve, she could have been faced with all walks of life preying on her, and she would always prevail and rise above, but in front of her mother, taking violence from her mother, it was like she just froze.

"Now get out of my room!" Jeanette yelled as AJ held her stinging cheek, slowly backing away as she grabbed her bag and left the room.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	41. A Threat

**A Threat**

* * *

AJ left her mother's room and found Punk downstairs in the waiting area. She didn't say much to him. She just wanted to quickly get out of the hospital. But her boyfriend knew her way too well and when they got in the car, he didn't turn the engine on until he asked her what happened.

"Did you talk to her?" Punk asked, turning to AJ who nodded, fidgeting with her hands, "What'd she say?"

"Nothing much." AJ said briefly.

"How is she feeling?" Punk asked as AJ shrugged, not knowing what to say, feeling tears well in her eyes as she still felt the pain of her mother's slap on her cheek. She'd never been violent towards her before. She didn't want to get upset. She knew she didn't deserve this sort of treatment.

"She hit me." AJ whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"She slapped me across the face." AJ told him, turning to him as his nostrils flickered, watching him undo his seat belt, about to get out of the car when AJ pulled him back, "She's sick, Phil." AJ reminded him, "She doesn't know what she's doing or saying." She sighed.

"April, she can't be violent with you." Punk said, "Was she yelling at you?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"You don't deserve this, April." Punk shook his head, "You're trying to help her and she's just not registering anything. She can't… she can't raise her hands to you." Punk said, disgusted by her mother's behaviour, "You're not obliged to take care of her." He said, and AJ agreed with him. She knew she didn't deserve this sort of treatment. This was why her and her mother stayed clear from one another. It was why her sister was more of a mother to her. She was trying to help and this was how she was treated. She knew she was stronger than this, to let her mother bully her.

"She just… gets to me." AJ sighed, wiping her tears, knowing she couldn't waste them on her, "She says things and I believe them."

"Why?" Punk shook his head, "April, she barely knows you. She might be your mother, but… she never raised you, not properly anyway." He said.

"I don't know." AJ sighed, "Sharing the same illness… it makes me think we're alike and that… she knows me better than anyone." AJ shrugged.

"April, she does not know you better than anyone. She barely even knows you." Punk said, "And maybe that's not her fault, maybe her illness got the better of her when you were younger, but she's getting help now and she's… she's still throwing it back in your face." He said, "It's not healthy for you to be around her. What if… What if she tried to hurt you again? What if she hurts the baby?" Punk said as AJ shook her head, not imagining her mother would ever stoop that low, but then again… she never thought her mother would stoop so low and slap her the way she had, "We'll give her the help she needs, and then she's on her own." He said.

"I don't deserve it, do I?" AJ asked him. She was normally a good judge of character, and she very easily could stand up for herself, that's why it baffled Punk so much to see her so timid around her mother.

"You don't deserve the way she treats you." Punk said, "I won't have her… raise her hands to you. And the April I know… wouldn't let anyone raise their hands to her." He said as AJ nodded.

"I don't know what's wrong with me when it comes to her." AJ admitted, "It's like I just freeze."

"No one wants to admit that their mom is a jerk." Punk said, "I get it." He nodded as AJ turned to him. It was just that. He did get it. And he was right. Whether it was her mother's illness speaking or not, she didn't deserve this, and she wouldn't take this sort of treatment from anyone else. Her mother didn't get a free pass on bullying her and hurting her. She wouldn't be a victim to her ugly words.

"I'll sort her out for her home and then… she's on her own." AJ shrugged. Technically speaking, she didn't even feel it necessary to help her mother out any further, but she still had a heart. She knew there would never be a good relationship between them. In fact, there would never be a relationship full stop. And she was done being a punching bag to her mother's words.

"Don't let her make you feel guilty." Punk said as she nodded, "You don't need this." He said as AJ nodded.

"I don't." AJ agreed, "I've-I've never needed her." She reminded herself as Punk nodded.

In any other situation, he would have encouraged AJ to talk it out with her mom, perhaps work on a relationship, but this was so beyond what he even thought. Their relationship was so broken that it just couldn't be fixed, and he wasn't going to let AJ take verbal and now physical abuse from her own mother. She was too good for that, and once her mother was placed in a mental home, he was going to encourage her to cut any ties (if there even was any) with her mother.

* * *

The next week, AJ and Punk had gone to visit a mental home to place her mother in. AJ hadn't been back to visit her mother, but had spoken to the doctor and had arranged for her mother to be placed in a home for her own safety and sanity. Her and Punk had spoken about it, and AJ agreed that it was best that her and her mother stayed well away from one another. It was like she was her mother's trigger.

They were shown around the mental home, which was nice to an extent, until they encountered a few wandering patients. One woman tried to grab Punk and take him away, implying that he was her boyfriend. They tried to find humour in it but then they realised this was people's lives.

Once AJ and Punk had been shown around the home, they took a seat on one of the benches outside since it was a nice day.

"What you thinking?" Punk asked her, placing his hand on her knee as she sighed.

"I'm thinking, make sure I'm never put in one of these places." AJ turned to him, "Seriously." AJ said, "I mean… it's lovely. The rooms are nice. The staff is sweet as hell but… it's actually quite sad." AJ admitted.

"You'll never be anywhere near a place like this. Don't worry." Punk told her, "Your mom needs this." He said, "She needs some sort of constant stability." He said as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ said, "And it is a nice place. It's not like… a haunted hotel or anything like that." She said as Punk smiled, "I guess it's just sad that… these people can't help themselves… or they don't have anyone in their lives to help them." AJ said, feeling a little down.

"They get taken care of here." Punk nodded. He knew she had a big heart that always thought of others before herself. That's why he loved her, "So… What do you think?" Punk asked her as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded. It wasn't a nice thing to do for anyone. To put someone in a home. But it wasn't like AJ could help her mother. This was the last option. The best option probably. And like concluded, AJ wasn't gonna be her mother's punching bag. She didn't deserve that, and even AJ knew that herself, "Yeah, I think she'll be better here." AJ nodded, turning to Punk who nodded.

"We'll call the doctor when we get home." Punk said as AJ nodded, "You good to go?" He asked her as she sighed tiredly.

"Just another few minutes. My feet are pulsing." She admitted tiredly. All the walking around had made her very sleepy.

"I'll give you a foot massage when we get home." Punk leaned over to her, kissing the temple of her head as she smiled.

"You know exactly how to turn me on." She smiled as he laughed. She was so glad she had him to keep her going throughout this rough period.

* * *

The next day, AJ had decided to visit Punk at work. She'd gone to her favourite cake shop to get herself a cake, and picked up a donut for Punk to drop it into him. They'd called the doctor when they got home last night from visiting the home, and things were being finalised to move her mother into a room there. AJ just wanted it dealt with so she could start focusing on her life again. Maybe that sounded selfish, but there was no one more selfish than her mother.

She walked into the station holding the brown paper bag in one hand, her other hand placed on her stomach as she walked up to the reception.

"Hey, Marie." AJ smiled to their receptionist.

"Oh, April. Look at you." Marie smiled, "You're glowing." She said as AJ smiled, "How far along are you now?"

"I'll be seven months next week." AJ smiled.

"Oh, you're getting close now." Marie smiled.

"Close and nervous." AJ nodded, "Is Phil in or is he out?" She wondered.

"He was out on the beat this morning but I think I saw him come back in with Dean." She nodded.

"Ok, thanks." AJ smiled, walking by the reception and into the station, walking by all the desks, smiling as she spotted Punk sitting at his desk with Dean and Seth around him, "Not working, as usual." She said as all three of them turned around.

"Damn, April. Pregnancy is doing you wonders." Dean smiled as AJ grinned, "It's like she has a gigantic halo above her head." He nodded, turning to Punk who glared at him, "No halo." Dean put his hands up as Seth shook his head.

"Gigantic halo." AJ nodded, "Because I brought a donut for my boyfriend." She smiled, handing Punk the brown paper bag as she smiled taking it from her.

"But you didn't bring us any?" Seth questioned.

"I can't carry three donuts. C'mon, Seth. I'm pregnant here." She joked as Seth smiled, wrapping his arm around her and giving her a warm hug.

"You didn't have to bring me anything." Punk smiled, sitting the brown paper bag on his desk.

"Well I was getting a cake for me anyway." AJ shrugged, "What have you three been up to?" She questioned.

"Me and Dean chased a sixteen-year-old through the park this morning." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"Damn, I miss work." AJ sighed to herself.

"And then we were sent out on another drug raid." Dean added, "Which didn't end pretty."

"Nah, it's not good arresting a young guy with a family." Punk shook his head, "Had the stuff in his hut in the garden." He said as AJ frowned.

"It's always the young ones." AJ said as they continued to talk, suddenly getting distracted as she watched an unfamiliar face in a tight black dress walk by them. AJ watched her closely as she walked to the back of the station and headed straight into her office, "Is that the new detective?" AJ turned to Punk who looked back at Kylie who had gone into the office.

"Uh… yeah, her name is Kylie." He said, "Right?" He turned to Dean and Seth who nodded.

"Hmm." AJ hummed to herself, wandering away from them.

"Wait, AJ…" Punk stood up but AJ had already wandered to the back of the station and was opening up the door to her office. Her. Office.

"Uh… who are you?" Kylie questioned, looking upon the pregnant woman walking into her office, "I talk to witnesses in the board room." She said as AJ laughed. She was cute.

"I'm April Mendez." AJ smiled, watching her face drop, "This is my office." AJ made clear in a pleasant way, "You must be the new detective?" AJ asked.

"Oh, yeah." Kylie stood up, "My name is Kylie Nolan." She extended her hand as AJ shook it tightly, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you." She said, trying to take her hand away when AJ still kept tight grips of hers.

"Good things I hope." AJ smiled, finally letting go of her hand, "So… working on anything challenging?" AJ said.

"A few things." Kylie nodded, "I can't discuss it." She smirked as AJ nodded.

"Right." AJ said.

"When are you due?" Kylie smiled. But AJ saw right through her smile. It was fake.

"Just about two months." AJ said, "And it won't be long until I'm back in here." AJ added with a smile as Kylie just nodded.

"Well, I don't mean to be rude but… I have work to do." She said as AJ nodded.

"Oh, of course." AJ smiled, backing away as she left the office, closing the door over as she looked upon practically everyone in the station watching her as she walked out of the office and walked back over to Punk, Dean and Seth.

"Are the claws coming out yet?" Seth asked.

"Please." AJ scoffed, "I wouldn't waste a good nail on her." She waved her hand as Punk smiled whilst Rocky walked by them.

"Hey, Dez. She has nothing on you." Rocky nudged AJ as he passed by, "Looking good." He called as AJ smiled.

"I'm not nervous." AJ shrugged, turning to Punk who was watching her. She hated knowing that he knew what she was thinking. Maybe she did feel a little threatened, but she always loved good, healthy competition.

"You shouldn't be." Punk said, "She's been working on the same case for two weeks." Punk said, "You'd have about 4 solved in that time."

"Yeah, she's an amateur." Dean nodded.

"You guys don't have to be bias." She said, "I'm happy to see someone else getting an opportunity. Especially a female." AJ nodded, "I'm not gonna put her down. Not until I come back anyway." She smirked.

"You enjoy your mama leave right now." Seth told her as she smiled, "Won't be long now."

"I know." AJ smiled, placing her hand on her stomach, "I'm getting excited actually." She nodded as Punk smiled.

"So you should be." Dean nodded.

Eventually he and Seth got called away and Punk walked AJ out of the station since he did have more work to do, but it was a pleasant surprise to see her. He just hoped she wasn't thinking about the new detective.

"You're not jealous are you?" Punk asked her.

"Jealous of what?" AJ laughed, "She's just keeping my seat warm." She smiled as Punk wrapped his arm around her.

"That's my girl." He nodded, kissing her head as she smiled, "Heard anything from the doctor?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, he called this morning. My mom has been cooperating a little easier now that she's been on her medication for a week. The move to the home should be fairly simple." AJ nodded, "When the home is ready to have her, she'll be… moved their immediately." AJ nodded.

"How you feeling about that?" Punk asked her, walking her outside of the station.

"I'm not taking blame or… any guilt for anything. I'm not gonna let her hurt me anymore. She's not an exception to anyone else. If you or Eve or anyone else spoke to me the way she does, I wouldn't take it so… she's not any different." AJ said as Punk nodded, "I'll do my bit and then focus on what's important to me." She nodded, "Me and you. Junior." She said as Punk smiled, "Who has been kicking like mad all morning." She admitted as Punk smiled, placing his hand on her bump.

"Not anymore." He smiled.

"He'll be sleeping." AJ said, "Dammit." She shook her head, realising she said he.

"What's gonna happen when it's a little she?" Punk laughed lightly.

"I'll love her just the same." AJ smiled, "You should get back to work." She sighed, playing with the buttons on his shirt, "I will see you when you get home." She looked up at him as he nodded.

"I'm already counting down the minutes." Punk smiled, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers softly as he eventually headed back into the station as she watched him, looking through the glass at the new detective in her office.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	42. Married To The Job

**Married To The Job**

* * *

It was a week later and AJ's mother was being moved to the home that AJ had looked into. AJ didn't really want to be present, but she figured she'd visit her mom when she was settled in. But only to tell her that she wouldn't be visiting her, and she wouldn't be taking anymore psychological abuse from her. This was where she drew the line. An official line.

She was just coming up for seven months pregnant and they were already behind schedule on the nursery. They'd only been to a few parenting classes too which was alarming AJ. She wanted her focus on their baby and doing her best to prepare for being a mother, because time was ticking by extremely fast.

Punk refused to let AJ go to the mental home herself. The last time she saw her mom, she slapped her across the face, and Punk wasn't standing for that.

"You really don't have to come in." AJ insisted, yet holding onto his hand tightly as they walked up the steps to enter the home.

"I want to. You don't have to do it alone." He reminded her.

AJ didn't think she would have gotten through these past few weeks without him. He'd been there for everything. To assure her, to hug her, to make decisions with her, even little things like rubbing her feet after a long day.

"I just don't know how she's gonna respond." AJ admitted, "They said she's settling in fine, but I don't know what she'll say when she sees me." She said as they checked in at the reception.

"We don't have to stay long." Punk shook his head, "When you say, we'll leave." He said as she nodded, taking a hold of his hand again as they were taken to her mother's room.

AJ was happy with the home and was glad her mother was in a good environment, whether she thought so or not.

"In an hour, she'll have outdoor time." The woman smiled to them both once taking them to Jeanette's room. The staff were all lovely and very attentive which AJ also liked.

"Thank you." AJ smiled to her, opening up the room door as Punk followed her in. The room was pretty luxurious, and so it should have been. It was spacious and decorated lovely, which was probably not something her mother was used to. She remembered growing up in their home when she was a little girl. How wallpaper used to be hanging off the walls, how at one point her mother slept on a mattress on the floor.

Her mother was sitting by the table and chairs at the window, reading a book. That was the only normal trait she remembered her mom having. She loved reading.

"Hi, mom." AJ nodded as Jeanette turned to her and looked at her. There was no glare or angry expressions on her face. In fact, there seemed to be no expression in her face.

AJ and Punk pulled out a chair across the table from her as she continued to look at her book, not really acknowledging them much.

"How do you like this place?" AJ asked as Jeanette just nodded her head from side to side, "I… I think it's really great." AJ said, "You might even meet some friends." AJ smiled. And maybe to some people, that looked like she was babying her mother, and trying to shrink her, but AJ also felt like she'd been the parent all this time. Her and her sister were always the ones who looked out for her mom, when it should have been the opposite way around.

"I'm going outside in an hour." Jeanette told them simply as AJ nodded.

"Do you like going outside?" AJ asked her as she nodded and continued to read her book as AJ turned to Punk who placed his hand on her knee. It appeared that her mother had now just switched off completely, which is what her doctor had predicted. Because of the medication sinking in, and seeking the therapy she was now getting, it was like everything had just come to a standstill.

"Mom, I didn't wanna put you here." AJ shook her head, "But… this is a good place for you. It's a healthy place for you." She nodded, "I can't… I can't take your abuse anymore. You might not think it but… you hurt me." She said as Jeanette flicked the page of her book, "I won't let you behave like that towards me." She said as Punk nodded. He was very proud of his girlfriend for standing her ground.

"Will you send me a picture of the baby?" Jeanette mumbled as she continued to look at her book. It was like she couldn't make eye contact with her daughter.

"I will." AJ smiled. There was a calm in the room for once. There was no yelling or screaming. It was calm and AJ wasn't used to it. Although, she could see her mother was a very sick woman. Her years of going without medication had caught up to her and unfortunately, this was where she had to be. AJ knew she couldn't feel bad. Her mother had hurt her and in a way, they were both bad for one another's health. There was no relationship and there never would be.

"I won't… I won't be visiting you here, mom." AJ shook her head, but it seemed like Jeanette already figured that out, "I… I'm gonna focus on my life, and my own health." AJ said, "I think it's best for both of us if we just… stay away from each other." She said, watching her mother flick the page of her book again.

Jeanette didn't say anything. She stayed pretty unresponsive, and so AJ nodded to Punk in signal for them to leave. She'd said the few things she wanted to say and she was ready to leave her mom in this safe house where she got specific treatment for her needs. All she kept thinking was how she wished, hoped and prayed she could be a better mother than Jeanette ever was to her.

* * *

"You want a drink?" Punk asked later that night, looking over at AJ from the kitchen where she sat on the sofa watching TV.

"Can you do me some hot chocolate?" AJ turned to him past the couch as he nodded, "I just can't stop thinking about her." She admitted, rubbing her belly for comfort whilst Punk made her hot chocolate, making sure to add extra whip cream, just how she liked it.

"At least you know she's safe there." Punk said, walking over to her once he'd made her the hot drink, sitting it down on the coffee table which Ace was lying under fast asleep, "Just watch, it'll be warm." He said as she nodded.

He sat down at the edge of the couch where she immediately curled into him for comfort, "She barely even said anything." AJ recalled.

"Maybe everything is starting to sink in." Punk said, "Maybe she's ashamed."

"I doubt it." AJ shook her head.

"We just gotta focus on us now. The baby is gonna be here soon and our heads need to be on that." He said, "Your mom is in safe hands and… she's lucky she got as much help from you as she has, given how she treated you, and how she has treated you since you were a kid." He said as AJ nodded. She knew he was right.

"We really need to get a move on with the nursery." AJ said, "I could start doing some stuff whilst you're at work." She said.

"No, don't you be doing anything." Punk said, "I'll take care of the nursery. We've got everything picked out we just need to get it all delivered, painted and built."

"You can't build Ikea furniture." AJ recalled with laughter, "That's what we were doing before we… first slept together." AJ looked up at him as he smiled.

"And now we're building a crib for our baby." Punk said, "I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't shitting myself." He admitted.

"It's a good nervous, though. Right?" She said, "It's like a nervous feeling mixed with an 'I can't wait' feeling." She said as he nodded, "At least you don't have to go through childbirth." She said, "I think I'm more nervous about that than actually being a mom." AJ laughed a little.

"You'll be amazing. You've been shot before. You can do anything." He said.

"I think I'd rather be shot again." AJ laughed. Of course, they were both nervous. They'd never done this before and neither of them had younger siblings, they'd barely even held a baby before. It was good they were on the same level however, "I can't wait to take him to the station." AJ smiled to herself.

"Him?" Punk asked.

"I don't even care. You know I want a boy." She shrugged as he smiled, "Everyone is gonna love him… or her." She made sure to say as he smiled, "And then I'll be back to work in no time." She smiled to herself as Punk looked down at her, watching her reach for the hot chocolate that had been cooling.

"I don't want you rushing just because of the new detective. She's just there to fill in until you come back. She's not a threat." Punk reminded her.

"Please." AJ scoffed, "I know she isn't a threat. But you know I love my job, and I'm… God, I'm already itching to get back right now." She laughed lightly as Punk pushed a forced smile.

He was a little worried about AJ's dedication to her job, and where their baby was gonna fit into their busy schedule. This wasn't just a dog who they could leave to guard the apartment until they got home from work, this was their son or daughter.

"Where's Junior gonna go when we're both working?" Punk asked.

"We'll find a daycare place." AJ shrugged.

"I don't know if I want my kid going to daycare when it's so young. Don't they go there when they're like two or three?" Punk asked.

"Well I wanna be back to work by the time the baby is six months, maybe five depending on how I'm feeling." AJ said as Punk nodded slowly.

"Yeah, but… you know this is our kid, right? We can't just… ship it off to someone." He reminded her as she looked up at him.

"Well what did you think we were gonna do?" AJ laughed a little, "Phil, you know how important my job is. It's crucial that I'm there. Regardless of the new detective maybe threatening me a little, I still need to be there and do my job." She told him, "And so do you. We're important to the station. Very important." She said.

"Yeah, but our son or daughter is gonna be a little more important, don't you think?" He said, trying not to start a fight with her, even though he sensed that's where it was going.

"If you thought I was gonna drop everything and become a stay at home mom, then that's shame on you." AJ said.

"I never thought that. I never would expect you to just drop everything because you're having a baby but… you rushing back to work when you're not ready, when our baby is only a few months old… that's not good for either of you." He said.

"Well that's what I'm doing." AJ said. No one could tell her different. Punk knew that when she thought of something and she had a plan of action in her head, she went with it. It was all part of her stubborn traits, "You know how much I love my job, Phil. Please don't… please don't start a fight with me over it."

"I wasn't starting a fight." Punk defended, "I just think it's gonna be too much for you if you go back to work so soon, especially if it's just to knock Kylie off your chair."

"Fuck Kylie." AJ laughed, "I don't care about her or what she's doing. She's just a sub." She said. She didn't feel a major threat from the new detective, but of course it was still on her mind that someone else was doing her job. Her job that she loved with all her heart.

"Yeah, exactly, so there's no need for you to rush back. You're gonna be tired, and you might not even wanna leave the baby." He smiled.

"Are you trying to tell me that I shouldn't be going back to work so soon?" She asked him, sitting up to get a better look at him.

"April, sweetheart, I'm not telling you to do anything. You're capable of making your own decisions. I'm just thinking for your health, your physical and mental health, it might be better you take more time off. I mean… you're entitled to it." He said.

"But you know my job is a big part of my life. Just as big a part as this baby is." AJ said.

"Well that's a little ridiculous." Punk shook his head, "This is our son or daughter."

"Yes. I'm aware of that." AJ said, "But my job means everything to me and once the baby is settled in, I'm gonna get back out there. Me and you again, just like before." She smiled.

"While our kid is at some daycare centre for most of the day." He said as her smile faded and she stood up.

"Why are you trying to make me feel bad." She said angrily, "You know my job is everything to me and I wouldn't… I wouldn't just forget about it."

"I'm not asking you to forget about it." Punk said, "But we're gonna be parents, and I think that's a little more important than our work lives."

"Yeah, well I don't." AJ shrugged as Punk shook his head.

"What is wrong with you?" Punk said.

"Excuse me." AJ said, "Don't… Don't act like you didn't already know this. You know me. You know my job is everything."

"And what about our baby? Is that everything to you?" He stood up.

"How dare you even ask me that." AJ said, "Of course our baby is everything to me." She spat.

"Well it doesn't seem like it." Punk said as AJ shook her head.

"I'm not doing this with you." She shook her head, pushing by him and walking off to their bedroom, slamming the door shut loudly as Ace sat up out of his sleep.

Punk collapsed back down on the couch, running his hands through his hair as Ace looked at him, "I'm probably sleeping out here with you tonight." He said as Ace collapsed back down into his sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	43. Wonder Dog

**Wonder Dog**

* * *

"Why are you mad at me?" Punk asked, walking into their bedroom later that night where AJ was sitting against the headboard pleating her hair.

"You think I don't love the baby." AJ said as Punk shook his head immediately.

"No, I don't, April." Punk said, "I know you love the baby. I would never question your love for it." He said, "And I'm not telling you to quit your job either. I don't want you to be here all the time with the baby. That's not I'm asking you to do." Punk made himself clear, climbing onto the bed and sitting next to her.

"Well that's what it sounds like." AJ said. She had her moody face and voice on where she didn't wanna look at him or speak to him, "I'm not putting my job before the baby, but it is a big part of my life."

"And I know that. Better than anyone." Punk said, "I want you to come back to work. I miss you like crazy. I miss working with you." He said, "But I don't want you to come back exhausted. Your health is a big thing." He said as she nodded, "Look at me." He said as she turned her head and looked at him, "I'm not telling you what to do. You're gonna do whatever you think is best anyway. I'm just saying that planning ahead and rushing back into work, especially with how intense your job is, it might not be good for your health."

"But you get to go to work." She huffed sadly as Punk smiled.

"Baby, I'll be right here with you. I get my dad leave too." He said as she turned to him, "And maybe… maybe I'm getting more time off because I spoke to Walter and he values us both, and wants us to take some time to ourselves." He said.

"So you'll be here with me?" AJ asked.

"Did you think I was gonna leave you to get on with it?" Punk said, "This is my first time having a baby too." He reminded her as she couldn't help smile.

"You spoke to Walter?" AJ asked as Punk nodded.

"He was at the station the other day. He was asking how you were doing." He nodded, "We've never had any time off work, he knows that, and he knows how valuable we both are, more so you than me." He said.

"But I thought you were only taking a few weeks." AJ shook her head.

"He said he'd give us whatever time we needed." Punk shrugged, "So don't think that I'm trying to keep you here looking after my kid whilst I escape at work." He said, "You're gonna be tired and guess who is gonna be there to do the night feeds?" He asked her as she smiled.

"I know you weren't trying to keep me here, I know you're just trying to look out for me and make sure my stubbornness and determination doesn't get the best of me but… when I'm ready, I do wanna go back as soon as possible." She told him, "And I know… I know daycare isn't ideal for a baby, and maybe when the baby is here I'll feel different, but I can still be a mom and work." She nodded.

"I never doubted you couldn't." Punk said, "And I also never doubted how much you love the baby either." He made himself clear, "I just don't want you to rush yourself back and then it catches up with you." He said.

"I won't." AJ said, "I know my own body and when I feel I'm ready, that's when I'll go back. Believe it or not… my job keeps me healthy. Sometimes maybe it doesn't, but for the most part it keeps me healthy and determined and… I can do that with a baby too." AJ nodded.

"I know you can." Punk nodded, "I just wanna see you healthy and happy." He said. That was all he wanted. He never wanted her to think he was forcing her to stay at home whilst he went out and worked. He knew that would be something that offended her very much and that wasn't what he was getting at. He just wanted her to take care of her health and go back when she was ready, not when she wanted to. The baby wasn't even here yet and she was already planning on when she was going back. He just wanted her to take this time to relax, and enjoy this big step in their relationship.

"Sorry for… storming away." AJ said, "But you annoyed me." She told him truthfully as he nodded.

"That's ok." Punk nodded, "I've been annoying you quite a lot since you got pregnant." He observed as she nodded.

"Junior gives me very little patience to deal with you." She told him as he nodded with a smile.

"I figured." Punk said, "You know I just love you and I want us to enjoy this next part of our relationship. Putting work aside." He said as she nodded.

"I know." AJ nodded. She knew where he was coming from. He had a right to be concerned about how quickly she was jumping back into work, especially in the high intensity and brutal job they both worked, he just didn't want her to rush and she understood that, but her job was a big part of her life and she would be returning when she felt ready.

"It is completely up to you when you decide to go back to work. Let's just… let's just focus on Junior and welcoming him… or her into our life." He said, placing his hand on her bump as she smiled, placing her hand on top of his.

"I love you." She whispered as she looked up at him.

"I love you too." Punk nodded, leaning over and kissing her softly.

He didn't want to fight with her over something like this. She was her own boss, he'd known that from the very minute he met her. He'd never take that away from her or try to change her. He loved how self-aware she was. He only wanted her to be healthy, and sometimes their work was a little unhealthy, he couldn't imagine how it would be running on zero sleep and having a baby to go home to.

* * *

Two months later and AJ was two days past her due date. Punk was still going to work since the doctor reckoned the baby would be a week late because of the position it was in. He had his phone on him at all times however, just in case AJ went into labour.

There was a lot more nerves now that the time had come. He'd just finished the nursery in time which made AJ cry when she saw it finished. They had everything more or less ready. They just needed the baby now.

AJ spent the last two months of her pregnancy staying fit whilst taking Ace out on walks. Her and Punk had gone to a few parenting classes, but if anything, it just scared them of how much they had to know, but luckily, they were surrounded by other couples who were just as clueless as they were. She'd gotten updates on her mother at the home and things were going to plan. She was more or less putting herself first which she wasn't used to.

Her and Punk hadn't talked much more about work. AJ figured she'd return to work when she felt ready. She wouldn't push herself but she always wasn't going to hold back just because she was going to be a mom, and Punk knew that.

"You finished that report yet?" Dean questioned as he approached Punk's desk.

"Just about." Punk nodded, "Why?" He said.

"Well I'm going out to talk to some witnesses from the fire that happened last weekend. You were there then so I figured me and you go talk to the guys today." Dean said as Punk nodded.

"Let me just finish this report up and I needa talk to Kylie for a minute. I'll get you out in the car." He said as Dean nodded, leaving the station and heading to his car to wait.

Punk finished up his report and headed up to AJ's office where Kylie was in. It still felt strange not having AJ around at work. He missed her. He missed working with her and the fun they used to immaturely have together. And he knew she missed it also.

He knocked on the office door, something he wasn't used to doing, and then walked in as Kylie looked up from her computer.

"Hi, Phil." Kylie said frantically, "What's up?" She said.

"I just wanted to remind you that you have that women from the taxing company coming in to speak to you today."

"Uh… what case is that for again?" Kylie shook her head as Punk raised his eyebrows. He didn't like to compare her to AJ considering he believed no one would ever be on his girlfriend's level, but she was very unorganised and rather messy when it came to gathering evidence and putting pieces together. He'd been spending a lot of time with her and it was a little frustrating sometimes, but he knew that wasn't fair on her. She was a sweet enough woman who was just trying to do a good job, perhaps she was trying too hard.

"Uh… the fraud one." Punk said as Kylie nodded.

"Right, ok." Kylie said, "Where are you going?" She wondered.

"I'm out with Dean right now." Punk said.

"What? I need you here." She shook her head, "I need you to help me with this fraud investigation. You were there the last time." She said.

"I know but I have to-"

"Please, Phil. I really need your help with this." She said as Punk looked across at her.

"Yeah, ok." Punk nodded with a sigh, "Let me go tell Dean." He pointed back as she smiled and looked back to her computer.

He walked down the station and out to Dean's car, knocking on his window as he rolled it down.

"What?" Dean said.

"Kylie needs me here." Punk shrugged, "To do with the fraud investigation. She's… panicking, I think. She's got a lot to do." Punk nodded as Dean rolled his eyes.

"We all got a lot to do." Dean shook his head, "Alright, whatever, man." Dean nodded, "You do what you gotta do." He said as Punk nodded, tapping the car as Dean rolled his window up and pulled away whilst Punk headed back into the station.

* * *

"You're later tonight." AJ said once Punk got home later that night. She was in the kitchen, of course, eating out of a packet of marshmallows whilst Ace sat beside her.

"I had to help Kylie with a few things." Punk told her, sitting his things down and walking over to her, kissing her cheek lovingly as she smiled.

"Sounds like Kylie can't do things on her own." AJ said, having noticed that Punk had been working a lot of late nights with Kylie. She wasn't weird about it, she just couldn't remember needing that much help when she was working.

"I think she's taking on too much." Punk admitted as AJ walked over to the table, holding her lower back to support herself. She had a really large bump now, even though the doctor told them the baby was on the small side, but not anything to worry about, "You actually have a lot in common with her." Punk said as AJ raised her brows, pulling out a seat at the kitchen table and sitting down slowly as Ace followed her and sat beside her watching her.

"Phil, he's been glued to my hip all day." AJ said as Punk turned around and looked at Ace sitting beside AJ who was continuing to dig into the pack of marshmallows, which had been her number one craving, "And when I was sitting on the couch earlier, he kept watching my stomach." AJ shook her head.

"You know what he's like. He's protective." Punk shrugged, making himself something quick to eat since it was late.

"I know but he's been overly protective today." AJ said, "Haven't you, boy?" She clapped the dogs head, "So what's the cases that Kylie is working on that she needs your help with?" AJ asked, watching Punk unbutton his top two buttons on his shirt, bringing his food over to the table as he sat down across from her.

"Uh… there's a fraud case that she can't quite wrap up. Missing person. Murder." Punk said.

"Can I take-"

"No." Punk answered before she asked.

"You didn't even let me finish." AJ gasped.

"Because I knew what you were gonna say." Punk shook his head, "You don't need to look at anything. Kylie is a good detective. She just gets a little… flustered sometimes."

"And you calm her down?" AJ smirked across at him. She'd never have any reason to doubt his loyalty. They trusted each other so much that she could make a joke out of it. She knew he'd never do anything to hurt her, especially whilst she was here, pregnant with his baby.

"I just help her out. Clear some things up for her." Punk shrugged as she nodded, "She always asks about you."

"How sweet." AJ smiled as Punk looked across at her, "What?" AJ laughed.

"She's actually a nice woman." Punk told her, "She's not out to get you."

"Oh, I know she isn't." AJ nodded, "Hey, I'm just happy that you're continuing to clear up cases." AJ nodded, leaning her hand over and flicking her chin. She was still very involved in his work and loved hearing about what he got up to every day.

"I do miss seeing your cute little ass at work." Punk nodded.

"Little." AJ laughed to herself, "There is nothing little about me right now." She said, placing her hand on her large bump. She was pretty big and uncomfortable now, but she was getting by on marshmallows.

"You're beautiful." Punk smiled as Ace whined beside AJ, "What is wrong with him?" Punk shook his head.

"Do you think he's ok?" AJ asked worriedly, cupping the dog's face as he continued to whine and look at her.

"Yeah, he'll be alright." Punk said.

* * *

Later that night, both AJ and Punk were out cold sleeping. The only position AJ could really sleep in was on her back, whilst Punk was lying on his stomach beside her, hugging into his pillow with his hair over his face, out of its usual slicked do.

Ace made his way into the room, having nudged the door open with his nose, walking round to AJ's side as he sat in line with her large tummy, tilting his head back and forth as he looked at it, resting his chin on the mattress as he watched AJ closely.

AJ then suddenly sat up, feeling a sharp pain up her stomach, placing her hand on her bump as she tapped Punk with her other hand, "Phil." AJ winced as Punk opened his eyes, "Phil, I think I'm having a contraction." She said as Punk opened his eyes all the wider, getting out of bed as AJ shuffled her legs round the bed and stood up whilst Ace jumped on the bed and lay down in the centre.

"Your waters broke?" Punk asked her as she shook her head.

"No, but… they're about to." AJ nodded, never feeling this sort of pain before, knowing herself that the baby was coming, looking up at Ace who watched her and laughing to herself, "He knew." AJ turned to Punk who was shimmying clothes on, "He knew I was going into labour."

"He didn't know." Punk scoffed, "Ok, the bag is in the car. Car seat is in the car. Do you need help getting ready?" Punk asked, walking up behind her and placing his hand on her back as Ace stood up and growled at him. It didn't help that AJ was wincing in pain as she doubled over, "Oh, behave yourself." Punk told the dog, "I'm not gonna hurt her." He shook his head as Ace lay back down on the bed.

"I can… I can get changed." AJ nodded, taking a deep breath as she looked her clothes out, "Ok, maybe I can't." AJ paused, holding onto the bedside cabinet as she felt another wave of pain shoot up her abdomen.

"Ok, let me help you." Punk nodded as AJ smiled to him, trying to bide herself through the pain.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this." AJ shook her head, taking deep breaths as Punk nodded.

"Well Junior isn't waiting around." Punk said as AJ laughed lightly, "We're gonna have a baby." He nodded as she took the biggest deep breath yet as it began to sink in that their little Junior was making their way into the world tonight.

* * *

"April. It's been almost 15 hours. You're a hero." The doctor walked into their room the next evening as AJ lay on her side, still pregnant, still in a very slow and difficult labour. At this point AJ just felt numb. She didn't think it would be as bad as what it had been, but she was a trooper and was taking all the pain as best as she could, of course with Punk by her side.

"Please tell me I can start pushing." AJ begged, rolling onto her back as the doctor checked to see how much she was dilated.

"You're still not quite there I'm afraid." The doctor sighed as AJ put her legs back down and cried sadly to herself as Punk frowned, "Things are progressing, don't worry. Just… very slowly." She sighed.

"Can't you give her something?" Punk shook his head. He felt like she had just been in constant pain for twelve hours and he couldn't believe how well she was taking it.

"I'm afraid not. I mean it when I say it this time, it won't be long." She promised, "I'll be back to check on you." She said, leaving the room as AJ rolled her head back on the pillow.

"I can't believe you done this to me." AJ shook her head as Punk couldn't help but smile, "This. This has made me rethink our whole relationship." AJ turned to him as he nodded. She was taking the pain and trying to humour herself. Well… at least he hoped.

"You're doing so good." Punk said, taking her hand and kissing it, "And I love you with all my heart." He told her as she just nodded, trying to breathe through the pain. He'd saw her do some incredible things, mentally and physically, whilst working with her out on the field, but nothing had ever lived up to this sort of strength she was showing.

* * *

After eighteen hours in labour, AJ finally gave birth to their 7-pound baby girl that night, whom they had called Nova Gabrielle Brooks. Punk had never witnessed something so pure and heart-warming as watching his daughter being placed on her mother's chest as soon as she was born. He was the proudest, and their little Junior was finally here.

"Look… Look at her." AJ smiled, holding the baby girl in her arms as she lay staring up at her. AJ was surprised at how emotional she had been. She never thought she'd cry when they placed her on her chest, she thought she'd be so overwhelmed by pain, but the pain didn't even matter once she felt her baby girl on her. It was the best moment of her entire life.

"She's gorgeous." Punk said, sitting on the bed beside AJ staring down at Nova, one of the names they had picked out, once they saw her they knew it was perfect for her.

"She is." AJ smiled, taking her daughter's small hand between her thumb and forefinger, lifting it up and kissing it as Nova lay peacefully in her arms, "Hi, baby girl." AJ smiled lovingly as Punk smiled. He still couldn't believe she was here. It was a surreal moment. A surreal day. The best day of his life.

"She's looking up at us." Punk pointed as AJ laughed lightly, "She's probably thinking, oh no who the hell are these idiots." He joked as AJ smiled.

"These idiots love you so much, baby." AJ spoke to her as her little eyes drifted open and closed, "She's going to sleep." AJ whispered, so fascinated that something so small and beautiful could be hers, and it made it all the better that she'd had her with not just her boyfriend, but her best friend, the man who knew her better than anyone else in the world, "I love her so much." She shook her head as Punk smiled, kissing her head.

"I love _you_ so much." Punk said as AJ smiled, turning to him and kissing his shoulder as she looked back at Nova. And now there was three.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	44. Home Time

**Home Time**

* * *

Once AJ had fallen asleep that night, and Nova was taken to the nursery with all the other sleeping babies, Punk had gone home to shower, feed Ace and head straight back to the hospital. He already felt this desperate need to be with his daughter at all times.

Only when he came back, he was met with his anxious friends waiting in the waiting area of the maternity unit.

"You guys couldn't wait until morning?" Punk asked them. Dean, Seth, Eve and Rocky had come with gift bags. Punk was joking around but he had a huge smile on his face. How could he not? His daughter was born healthy and gorgeous, and his girlfriend was recovering well.

"Hey, man. Congratulations." Dean smiled, the first to wrap his arms around Punk tightly. He'd known Punk since they were both sixteen years old, and he didn't know when the time would come where both of them would settle down. He felt like a very proud brother.

Seth, Eve and Rocky followed with their congratulations and Punk led them through the unit to go see Nova who was no doubt sleeping.

"Everyone at the station sends their congratulations." Seth said, "They can't wait to see her. You'll bring her in, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, once we're home and settled." Punk nodded.

"How is Dez doing?" Rocky asked, a nickname he'd given AJ from the minute he met her all those years ago.

"She's doing good. Sleeping it all off." Punk nodded.

"Well I should think so." Eve said, "Eighteen hours. Poor woman." Eve shook her head.

"Yeah, she's some woman." Punk smiled to himself, gathering outside of the nursery.

"Oh, man. Which one is she?" Dean asked.

"She is the second row from the front, three from the left." Punk said as they all followed and looked at the baby girl that Punk had directed them too. She was small but a perfect bundle. She was fast asleep, wearing a tiny pink onesie.

"Sandwiched between two boys already." Seth noted as Punk turned to him.

"She's not even a day old, man." Punk shook his head, "Save your ugly jokes." He said as Seth sniggered whilst Eve hit his arm.

"She's a little beauty." Dean smiled, "She's gonna give AJ a run for her money." He said.

"That's one good looking baby, Brooks." Rocky nodded, slapping Punk on the back, almost knocking him through the glass window they were standing in front of.

"You'd all say she's cute anyway." Punk waved his hand, "But yeah, she is pretty cute." He nodded. Every time he looked at her, he just couldn't help smile.

"So, is she nameless?" Dean asked.

"No. No, she's got a name." Punk said, "Nova Gabrielle Brooks." Punk smiled as Eve smiled to herself. She was thinking that if it was a girl, AJ would have named her after her sister, in some way.

"Pretty name." Eve nodded to Punk who smiled.

"Nova." Rocky nodded, "I thought you were calling the kid Junior." He said seriously as Punk looked at him.

"Well… no." Punk shook his head, "Junior was just a nickname for the baby." Punk said, not being able to tell if Rocky was being serious or not.

"I thought Junior was nice." Rocky shrugged.

"You're an idiot." Dean shook his head, "Nova is a good name. She's gonna be so badass on her first day of school. She's gonna be amongst all the… all the Sophie's and the Sarah's and she's gonna be like, hey, I'm Nova." Dean mimicked as he flicked his hair to the side.

"Ok, I think visiting time is over." Punk nodded as they chuckled.

"I want to hold her." Eve said, "Can't we see her?" She asked Punk.

"Yeah, ok." Punk nodded, "Uh… go to room 57 down the hall. Keep quiet though because AJ is asleep. I'll get the nurse to bring her through." She said as they nodded, walking down the hall to the room.

Punk managed to get the nurse to bring Nova through to the room so that his friends could all get a shot of holding her, as well as sitting down their gifts they had brought, which wasn't necessary considering they'd already bought lots of things.

Whilst they all had a hold of Nova, Punk made sure AJ was sound asleep, tucking the blankets over her and kissing her head. She was completely out cold, but it made sense given the hours of pain she'd been in.

"Is that you taking some time off now?" Seth asked Punk who stepped away from AJ's bed.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I reckon a few months." Punk said, "I'm gonna be there for AJ as much as I can. I'm gonna be there for both of them." He nodded in a hushed voice as Seth smiled, the others paying attention to Nova quietly in the corner.

"Do you think AJ will be back as quick as she wants to be?" Seth asked, placing his hands in his pockets.

"That's up to her." Punk said, turning to AJ who was sound asleep, "It's her decision. I'm not gonna tell her what to do. I just want her to make sure she's mentally and physically ready to go back." He said, "She might find it harder to part with the baby."

"Maybe." Seth nodded, "As long as she's healthy, that's the main thing." Seth said, "Where is Nova gonna go when you're both back?" He asked, "It's just a pity we all work at the same place or else we could have taken turns at babysitting." Seth said, considering he knew that both AJ and Punk didn't have any immediate family really.

"We'll probably look into some daycares or babysitters. Or maybe me and AJ could work different shifts. I don't know. We've not talked about it yet. I just… I wanna focus on Nova. She's my main priority." He said as Seth nodded.

"How does it feel now she's here?" Seth smiled.

"It's so weird." Punk said, "Like… I didn't think it would feel that different but it does, man. I'd do anything for her." He said. He didn't think being a father would be as big of a feeling as it was. He didn't think much would change, but everything had changed. His perspective on things had changed. He just felt like his life had gotten so much better already, just by Nova in it.

"Well she's a lucky girl to have you two as her parents." Seth nodded, "Safest kid in Chicago, right there." He nodded over to Nova as Punk laughed to himself.

"Yeah, you got that right." Punk smiled.

* * *

AJ slept all the way through the night until sunrise. The guys and Eve had left after each getting a hold of Nova, who stayed asleep the full time. AJ slept right through and didn't budge once whilst Punk dozed on and off on the armchair in the room with Nova beside in her bassinet.

Any time Nova stirred and cried a little, Punk got her immediately so she wouldn't wake AJ, and he already felt like he was doing ok at this dad thing, considering he managed to get Nova back to sleep whenever she woke up.

"Where… Where is she?" AJ woke up saying, looking around the room as she saw Punk asleep on the arm chair, "Where… Where is…" AJ looked at the empty bassinet, "Phil!" AJ said loudly as Punk jumped with open eyes, "Phil, where is she?" AJ sat up as Punk turned to the bassinet that had Nova in it when he last fell asleep.

He stood up when the room door opened, a doctor walking in with Nova in her arms as AJ collapsed back in bed with a sigh of relief.

"You were both sleeping so I fed her." The doctor said, "I got her before either of you woke." She explained as AJ smiled, watching as the doctor placed the awake baby girl in her bassinet, "She's a beautiful little thing." She said.

"She is." AJ nodded, "When will we be able to go home?" AJ wondered.

"Well, if your doctor is pleased with you and the baby, possibly later on today." The doctor nodded as AJ smiled. She couldn't wait to go home, "I don't see any reason for you not to be allowed home."

"I spoke with the doctor yesterday and she said I'd get more visits from the health visitor compared to a normal new mom because of my bipolar. Is that right?" AJ asked.

"That's right." The doctor said, "It's more so to keep an eye on your health rather than the baby's." She said.

"Oh, that's fine. I don't have a problem with it. I think it's great." AJ smiled as the doctor nodded.

"Your doctor will let you know about going home and what not soon." She said as AJ nodded, watching the doctor leave as AJ turned to Punk who had picked Nova up from her bassinet and had her snuggled into his chest.

"You're hogging her." AJ frowned as Punk smiled.

"You want her?" Punk asked as AJ nodded longingly, "Ok. Ok, off you go to mommy." Punk said, kissing Nova's cheek before placing her into AJ's arms.

"Hi, baby." AJ smiled down at Nova who lay contentedly in her arms, "You let mommy sleep all the way through the night." She spoke to her as Punk smiled.

"The guys came to visit last night." Punk told her as AJ turned to him, "Yeah, they brought gifts and they all got to hold her. Dean, Seth, Eve and Rocky." Punk nodded.

"You should have woken me up." AJ said.

"No way." Punk said, "You needed to sleep. They didn't stay long anyway, just to see her." Punk nodded, "They all liked the name. Apart from Rocky who… thought we were naming her Junior." Punk rolled his eyes.

"He didn't." AJ gasped as Punk nodded.

"Oh, he did." Punk nodded as AJ laughed, playing with her daughter's small hand as she began to fall asleep in the comfort of her mother's arms, "How you feeling?" Punk smiled. He could have watched her with Nova all day. He couldn't have picked a better mother for his daughter.

"I'm ok." AJ nodded, "I'm still a little tired, and sore." AJ said.

"I'd be worried if you weren't." Punk admitted.

"But I'm good. Mentally." AJ nodded, "I feel good. She makes me feel good." AJ smiled looking down at Nova, "She's so beautiful. Surely I'm not being bias." AJ said as Punk smiled.

"I agree. She's beautiful." Punk nodded, "Just like her mom." He said as AJ smiled to him.

"I can't wait to take her home." AJ smiled, leaning down and kissing Nova's head softly.

* * *

AJ wound up getting out of hospital the next morning. Her doctor didn't want her to leave that night because of her stitches and figured staying one more night wouldn't do any harm. She was discharged with baby Nova the next morning where her and Punk proudly took their daughter home.

"Curse these stairs." AJ said, slowly climbing the stairs to their apartment with Punk's help whilst he held the carrier which Nova was asleep in.

"It's gonna be great wheeling the stroller up and down." Punk laughed a little.

"Oh, I never thought of that." AJ sighed, "Maybe I'll talk to Garry and ask him to invest in an elevator." AJ said.

"Well he'd do anything for you." Punk rolled his eyes as they eventually got to the top and reached their apartment, "How do you think Ace will be?" He asked as AJ continued to hold onto his arm.

"Oh, he'll be fine." AJ nodded as they walked into the apartment where Ace came running up to them. He normally bounced all over them but instead, he ran up to them and paused on the spot, "Maybe he'll be jealous." AJ whispered.

"He'll need to get used to her." Punk said, "So she can get used to him."

"Take her over to the couch." AJ said as they got into the apartment. The bags were still in the car since Punk wouldn't let AJ carry anything. He'd get them later on. Right now, they wanted to get their baby girl into her new home.

"Hi, boy." AJ smiled, making sure to give Ace the usual attention she did whilst Punk headed over to the couch with Nova in her carrier, placing her on the sofa and unclipping her out into his arms, "You wanna come say hi to your sister?" She said, slowly walking over to the couch with Ace, joining Punk on the couch where he held Nova in his arms.

Ace walked over to them and sat directly in front of Punk, staring at Nova as Punk and AJ watched him closely.

"He's making me nervous." Punk admitted.

"I trust him." AJ nodded, "Introduce him to her." She said as Punk turned to her, "I'm serious." AJ nodded.

"Ok." Punk said wearily, "Ace, this is Nova. She's… she's not a toy." Punk said as Nova leaned forward, sniffing the baby and nudging her lightly with his nose as Punk's stomach tied into knots.

"It's ok." AJ said, "He's saying hello." AJ smiled as Ace continued to sniff Nova who stayed peacefully asleep in her father's arms, "He likes her." AJ smiled as Ace kept his eyes on the baby, slowly lying down in front of Punk to stay close to the baby.

"Good boy." Punk nodded as AJ smiled, leaning against Punk comfortably. She was proud of their little family, and excited that their daughter was now here and was healthy.

* * *

Punk tip toed out of Nova's nursery in his boxers later that night, closing the door over just a little as he had finally gotten her to sleep. She'd had her bottle, had been changed and was now down all before 10pm. AJ and Punk felt extremely proud of themselves.

Punk went to head into his own bedroom when he watched as Ace walked over to Nova's nursery, watching him lay down in front of her door, sprawled out as Punk smiled.

"Yeah, you keep her safe." Punk nodded, "Goodnight, boy." Punk said as Ace's tail waggled as Punk walked into he and AJ's bedroom where AJ was already in bed.

"She down?" AJ smiled as Punk nodded, sitting down the baby noise monitor on his bedside table, getting into bed beside his girlfriend, "What time do you think she'll wake?" She wondered as Punk turned on his side to face her.

"I'm thinking 3am." Punk shrugged, "I'll get her."

"I can get her." AJ said.

"You need to sleep." Punk said as AJ nodded. She was still exhausted, and she knew it was the right thing to do to let him take care of the first few night feeds. But she was pleasantly surprised at how normal things were starting to feel. It was like Nova was always here, even though they were still coming to terms with parenthood.

"Do you think we'll be a good mom and dad?" AJ asked in a whisper.

"I think we'll do everything we can to give her everything she needs and to love her." Punk nodded, "I doubt we'll be perfect."

"I just want her to be safe. We've saw so much in our careers. We've encountered so many evil people and… I don't know about you but I feel even more strong about keeping them away, now that we have Nova." AJ admitted.

"I feel the same." Punk nodded. There was such a desperate need to keep their daughter safe with everything they had. To love her and protect her. She was their everything.

"We're not gonna turn into boring, sleepy parents, aren't we?" AJ smiled to him as he laughed a little.

"Baby, we're still hot." Punk nodded as she smiled, "And I still love you. In fact, not that I thought it could be possible, but I think I love you even more." He said as AJ smiled, slowly and carefully shuffling towards him and pressing a soft kiss on her lips.

It felt weird not having her huge bump. She hadn't regained her old figure of course, but it was weird to not be pregnant anymore, but such a reward since their baby girl was now here and was more beautiful than anything else in the world.

This was just the beginning of this next chapter of their lives.

* * *

 **A/N: Don't worry! Lots more coming. REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	45. Heavy Minds

**Heavy Minds**

* * *

"Ok either she's smiling at me because she loves me or she's smiling at me because she thinks I'm a loser and she feels sorry for me." Punk said as he sat on the living room floor with his legs in a basket, watching their one-month old daughter as she lay on her mat looking up at all the toys dangling above her with fascination.

"I would probably go with the second." AJ chuckled to herself from the kitchen.

The first month of parenthood wasn't as terrifying as they thought it would. Both had a great bond with their daughter and she was settling in just fine. She cried a lot for the first week, and barely let them sleep, but she was settling down finally and Punk and AJ believed that they loved her that little bit more every day.

AJ wasn't feeling as exhausted and tired as she was when she first got home. In fact, she was starting to feel back to her normal self, and was put back on her normal medication, as well as being visited by the health visitor frequently. AJ didn't mind it, she knew it was for her own health and she welcomed it.

"You want me to put some cans in or will we just buy some drink?" AJ asked, walking over to her boyfriend who sat playing and talking with their daughter. There was just something about their life that had gotten so much better since Nova came. They were both so nervous but now it just seemed like it was part of their lifestyle, to love and care for her.

"Um… throw some cans in if we have them." Punk nodded to her, "You got her bottle ready?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, I've just made it up." AJ said, wandering back into the kitchen to fix what she was doing, "Do you think she'll need changed? I'm gonna take the diaper bag anyway. I put in some clean clothes for her in case we have a repeat of last night's diaper." She laughed to herself.

"Don't remind me." Punk sighed as she laughed, "Take it just in case." Punk nodded, "You never know what tricks she has up her sleeve." Punk said, looking over at Nova, "Huh? You have our work cut out for us, don't you? Don't you?" Punk smiled as she looked up at him. They did find themselves talking to her in strange voices. He liked to think they were doing ok. He never doubted they wouldn't be, but considering it was their first time having a baby, he was very proud of how well they were coping. It wasn't easy all the time of course. Nova had her moments where she liked to just cry for no reason, which then AJ and Punk would break out in a fight on why she was crying, but everything would return to normal not long after.

"Ok, do you wanna get her up in her carrier? The stroller is in the car, isn't it?" AJ asked him.

"Yes, ma'am." Punk nodded as he stood up, picking up Nova in his arms. She was still a tiny little thing. She was only one-month old, but her development was going great according to the health visitor, that went for the baby and AJ. Both mom and baby were doing good, and that was the most important thing to Punk.

"Can you take her and I will get the bag and Ace?" AJ said, "Or will I take her down?" She asked as Punk strapped Nova into her carrier as her little hands reached out to his whilst he was clipping her in. She did enjoy his colourful tattoos, and many times had fallen asleep bewildered on his chest.

"Ok, you take her, I'll get the bags and Ace." Punk nodded as AJ smiled, walking round the couch and taking over from Punk as she smiled down at Nova.

"There's my girl." AJ smiled, "There's my gorgeous girl." She said, leaning down and pressing a kiss on her daughter's nose as she looked up at her mother in awe. She was a very, very loved baby. That was for sure. And she was the greatest thing they'd ever done.

"Is it just this bag?" Punk pointed as AJ looked up.

"Yeah, baby. That bag and Nova's diaper bag on the table." She said as Punk nodded.

"Ok. I'll get you down there." Punk said as AJ nodded, leaving the apartment with Nova in her carrier whilst Punk grabbed the two bags he had to, as well as putting Ace on his leash to take him down.

He walked towards the door, ready to leave when he noticed a card sitting on the floor. They never got mail directly to the apartment, which made Punk realise that someone had slid it under the door.

He put his things down for a second and picked up the card which was addressed to no one, but was a congratulations card. He then opened it up and looked inside where it was again addressed to no one at the top, but at the bottom it was signed off by Mike.

* * *

"She's already getting so big." Eve smiled, holding Nova in her arms in the station where Punk had finally gone to take Nova. They wanted to get her settled at home before they went out showcasing her to everyone.

Everyone had stopped by at Punk's desk to see the baby girl and to congratulate Punk and AJ, but of course it was their close friends who were around the desk holding her and talking to her.

"Where are you guys headed?" Seth asked.

"We're going for a picnic." Punk said as Seth raised his eyebrows, "We're boring now." He nodded as Seth laughed.

"Picnics aren't boring." AJ gasped, "It's a nice day. Why stay inside?" She said as Punk nodded.

"I'm just teasing." Punk said. They took Nova on a lot of walks in her stroller since they were always taking Ace out, but today AJ suggested they go to the park for a picnic. It was something she always wished her mother had done with her and her sister. Something she always saw people doing in the park and longed to do it one day herself. It was a lovely day and she didn't want it to go to waste.

"She's actually got light hair." Dean noticed, "Well, with what little bits she has." He laughed.

"Phil was light when he was born." AJ nodded, "Because she definitely doesn't get that from me." She laughed to herself, "The health visitor said it'll probably change." She shrugged.

"She has your eyes, though." Rocky noticed as AJ smiled proudly, turning her head as she looked over at Kylie in her office.

"I'll just be a minute." She said, wandering away and leaving her friends and boyfriend with Nova as she walked up to her office, knocking on the door and walking straight in, staying as pleasant as she could.

"Oh, hey." Kylie smiled.

"Hi." AJ smiled, "I just… wanted to come by and see how you were. If there's anyone who knows the stress of this job it's me." She said, "Good news is, you won't have long to deal with it." She said as Kylie nodded.

"Everything is fine, April." Kylie nodded, "Phil helped me out a whole lot before he took his time off. He was great." She nodded.

"I know I live with him." AJ nodded.

"I mean from a work point of view." Kylie said, "I've been getting through a lot of cases recently. I guess you could say this office is starting to feel like home." She admitted, sitting back in the chair as AJ folded her arms.

"Really?" AJ smiled.

"Yeah." Kylie nodded, "I have a meeting with Walter tomorrow morning. I have… no idea what it's about but, here's hoping for something good." She smirked as AJ smiled to herself.

"I know what you're doing." AJ nodded, "And it won't work. I've been here in this station for ten years. Every case I have been given, I have solved. I solved a case that had been going on for more than ten years. Me. Alone." AJ said.

"Yeah, April. You did all those things. Now you're just a mom." Kylie said as AJ glared across at her.

"This is my office. That is my chair and those cases that you're taking weeks to figure out, they belong to me too. You're a sub. Nothing more." AJ said, "And when I get back, you will go back to filling in for someone else." She said as Kylie glared up at her.

"Phil said you were unhealthily obsessed with your job." Kylie smiled, "I didn't think he meant literally but… well I guess he did." She said as AJ stepped back before she done something she would regret.

"Just enjoy it while it lasts." AJ told her smugly, leaving the office and walking back to her friends.

* * *

"So what she has a meeting with Walter? That could mean anything." Punk shook his head later that day as they sat on a picnic blanket on the grass in the park. Ace was laid out beside them, tired from catching the frisbee Punk kept throwing him earlier.

"She also said you told her I had an unhealthy obsession with my job." AJ turned to him, holding Nova in her arms who had fallen asleep.

"I never said unhealthy." Punk shook his head truthfully, "I said you were obsessed, yeah." Punk nodded, "But even you know that. I wasn't saying it to her like it was a bad thing." Punk said, "She really said that?"

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Made me feel like an idiot."

"Well she's just twisting my words." Punk shook his head, "Whatever, just forget about her." Punk said, fixing Nova's sock which had fallen off, "She's out of it." Punk smiled as he looked over.

"Everyone loved her." AJ smiled. They'd brought some food and drink with them that was spread out on the picnic blanket. They'd had a great afternoon despite the things on both of their minds. AJ could have sat holding her daughter, watching Punk run about with Ace all day. It was peaceful and relaxing, especially when their baby was fast asleep.

"Everyone does love her." Punk agreed, "How could you not? She's adorable." Punk smiled as AJ nodded, "And hey, I know you. I know you'll be worrying about what Kylie said but… don't. Walter has known you all this time. He knows how valuable you are. When everyone says that Kylie has nothing on you, they mean it. Nothing against the girl, but she gets herself in a panic. She takes on too much and then leaves things hanging." Punk said, "She's not taking your job. Ok?" He said, flicking her chin as AJ nodded with a smile.

"I know she isn't." AJ smiled. She knew she wasn't in danger, she just didn't like the way Kylie spoke to her. It was as if she was purposely trying to get the job, but AJ knew she was safe.

She continued to cradle Nova in her arms, turning to Punk who had his thinking face on, "What's on your mind?" She asked.

"Huh?" Punk turned to her.

"You look like something is bothering you." AJ admitted, "Everything ok?" She asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, everything is fine." Punk smiled to her as AJ nodded, knowing he was lying to her. Something was bothering him, "You want an ice-cream?" He asked her, spotting the ice-cream truck across the park.

"Yeah, ok." AJ smiled, "As if I haven't ate enough already." She shook her head as Punk smiled, standing up and whistling on Ace who got up.

"What do you want?" He asked her.

"Just a cone." AJ smiled as he nodded, walking off down the park with Ace trotting beside him as she watched him closely.

She turned down to Nova who was peacefully asleep in her arms. She smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss on her head, looking back up as she watched Punk with Ace, "What's daddy hiding? Huh?" She said.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	46. Mistake

**Mistake**

* * *

The next morning, Punk woke up early. He could barely sleep thinking about his brother, thinking about the card which he obviously sent for attention. He was trying to forget about it considering his brother really couldn't get to him, considering he was in prison, but that was beside the point. It was a reminder that he was still there.

He got out of bed and took a shower all the while AJ stayed fast asleep. He didn't like hiding things from her, but this was his problem, not hers, and maybe that was all the more reason to tell her, but he didn't want to put anything on her.

He got out of the shower and put clean clothes on, leaving their bedroom and closing the door over. He then checked on Nova in her crib who was also fast asleep. She was very generous in giving her parents sleep, now that she was settled in.

He left her with a kiss on the head and then headed out of the apartment, hoping he could make it back before both of them woke up.

He drove to the prison where his brother was being held, and managed to get visitation with his brother.

He waited at the table until he saw his brother escorted out of the door that lead to the cells, watching him walk towards him with a smile as he took a seat across from him.

"You didn't wait around." Mike chuckled as Punk looked across at him, "The least you could have done was tell me I was an uncle." He said as Punk continued to glare at him, "Mom told me, don't worry. I don't have anyone watching you." He waved his hand.

"How would mom know?" Punk spat.

"She said she saw you with your girl holding a carrier. Pink blanket." Mike nodded as Punk glared across at him, "You gonna tell me her name?"

"I don't have to tell you anything." Punk said, "Why'd you send the card? What… What are you trying to achieve?" He asked.

"I didn't know if mom would do it. I thought she'd chicken out." Mike laughed a little.

"So you got mom to slide it under my door?" Punk asked as Mike nodded, "What is wrong with you and her?" He said.

"Why are you always so God damn defensive, Phil?" Mike asked, "I send you a card and you're fucking freaking out. There was no bomb in it. You can calm down." He said.

"It's never that simple with you, though. Is it?" Punk said as Mike just laughed.

"I'm in here for the rest of my life." Mike laughed, "What do you think I'm trying to do?" He asked as Punk shook his head and looked down, "You just can't get it out of your head, can you?" He said as Punk looked up at him, "You can't get it out of your head, because you're the only one living with it."

"Shut up." Punk spat, "That wasn't my fault." Punk said, "I was there to help you." Punk spat, "I was trying to do the right thing and someone… someone innocent got hurt in the process."

"Well I guess you can say that's what I was doing that night I tried to shoot you. Someone innocent got hurt there too." Mike nodded, "All this time I have in here to think, and it got me wondering… does your girl know?" He smiled, "Does she know what you done?"

"She doesn't know." Punk said, "You know that no one knows besides my commissioner."

"Must be hard keeping that to yourself." Mike smiled, "Being the good guy that you are."

"It was an accident." Punk spat, "It wasn't supposed to happen." He whispered, "And I know that you're trying to remind me of it. You're trying to remind me that you know what happened." He said, "But it's not gonna work."

"I'm not trying to remind you of anything." Mike said, "That's your own brain playing tricks on you. What'd you expect when you decided you wanted to be a cop? Huh?"

"It was never meant to happen. You were the reason I was there." Punk spat.

"And yet you got no punishment for it. Just because you're a cop."

"I was suspended." Punk said, "I could have lost my job."

"But you didn't." Mike said.

"Because of the circumstances." Punk said, "I get it. You're bored in here. You wanna continue to mess with me. But it's not gonna work."

"You're messing with yourself all on your own." Mike chuckled as Punk stood up.

"Don't send me anything again. Don't get mom to send me anything either. Stay out of my life." He said, turning around and leaving the room as Mike watched him.

* * *

Punk got home, picking up breakfast on his way back to the prison incase AJ was awake and wondered where he'd gone. He walked into the apartment and saw her standing in the kitchen feeding Nova her bottle.

"Oh, hey." AJ said, "You could have said you were going out." AJ shook her head, "I was worried." She said as he sat down the two coffees and the brown paper bag.

"Oh, I didn't wanna wake you." Punk said as AJ nodded, watching him closely. She looked into the eyes of liars all the time, and she knew him better than he knew him. Why he was lying to her, she had no clue.

"So where'd you go?" AJ shook her head, continuing to stand and feed Nova whilst Punk sat down at the table.

"For breakfast." Punk laughed a little as AJ nodded, taking a seat across from him as Nova finished off her bottle, "She good?" Punk asked, smiling over at Nova who was gulping down her bottle.

"Yeah. Hungry as usual." AJ smiled as he nodded. Nova eventually finished her bottle and AJ curled her into her chest so she could rub her back to break her wind.

"Hey, you get your breakfast. I'll take her." Punk insisted.

"No, it's ok." AJ smiled, continuing to rub Nova's back as the baby girl curled into her mother, "When did you even get up? I didn't hear you." AJ said, standing up once breaking Nova's wind, walking over to the sitting area and placing her down on her mat, tickling her tummy and smiling as she walked back over to her boyfriend.

"Uh… I can't remember." Punk shook his head, "It was early. You were out cold." He smiled to her as AJ glared at him.

"Don't lie to me, Phil." AJ said as Punk looked across at her, "And don't… don't have the nerve to even think you could ever lie to me." She said, sitting back down across from him, "Where were you and what were you doing?" She asked him.

"What?" Punk laughed nervously as AJ folded her arms.

"Something has been bothering you and I want you to tell me what." AJ said, "Am I that hard to talk to?" She wondered.

"What? No." Punk shook his head, "I just went for breakfast, baby." He said, seeing AJ getting madder and madder.

"You didn't." AJ said, "You're lying to me." She said as Punk ran his hands through his hair, "What is it?"

"Ok, I went to see my brother in prison." Punk put his hands up, sitting back on the chair as AJ bit the inside of her mouth.

"Why?" AJ asked.

"He sent my mom to send us a card. I saw it yesterday. It was signed by him. I put it in the trash and I went to visit him today to tell him to quit it." Punk said, "Ok?" Punk said.

"You're still lying to me." AJ chuckled as Punk watched her. He was convinced she was a mind reader at times.

"It's nothing you have to worry about." Punk said.

"Then tell me." AJ smiled, "Is it that bad?" She laughed a little.

"Yeah, April. It is. And it's none of your business." Punk said as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Your business is my business." AJ said, "I tell you everything. I always have." AJ said as Punk rubbed his hands over his face, "Phil, what is it?" AJ asked, beginning to worry.

"You remember when you got ill? The time Eve told Walter about your bipolar disorder? And you thought I was off taking some personal time?" He asked.

"Yeah. What about it?" AJ said.

"I was suspended." Punk said, "I wasn't taking personal time."

"What?" AJ shook her head as Punk sighed, "Why were you suspended?" AJ asked.

"My brother was in contact round about that time. I agreed to go help him out with a few things. Arrest a few people for him so they'd get off his back." Punk nodded, "So I went to the club we arranged to go to." Punk said as AJ listened, "Long story short, they were armed, started running and I… I took a shot." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"So?" AJ shook her head, "They were armed. They were criminals. What? What's the big deal?" AJ shook her head.

"There were a group of kids. Teenagers. Just around the corner. I took the shot and…" Punk paused as AJ placed her hand over her mouth, "I shot a sixteen-year-old boy."

"Oh my God." AJ said, "Did he… Did you-"

"No." Punk said, "He recovered just fine." Punk nodded, "I was suspended. Under the circumstances I wasn't charged with anything." Punk said, "But I couldn't help feel like I should have been." Punk shrugged, "I could have killed a kid."

"Why have you never told me? Why did you never say anything?" AJ asked. She was more upset about the fact he'd never told her, rather than what he actually had just told her.

"When I came back to work, Eve told me you'd had a… mental breakdown. I just tried to tread lightly around you and I didn't wanna talk about it anyway." Punk shook his head, "I spoke to Walter and we agreed just to tell everyone I was taking some personal time." Punk said.

"What has any of this got to do with Mike?" AJ asked.

"He tried to get me done for it. He said I was aiming for the kid, released a statement." Punk shrugged, "My brain started doing overtime I guess, and I wondered if it was all a set up." Punk shrugged, "But I think he was just taking his opportunity. No one believed him anyway." He said as AJ sighed, sitting back on her chair.

"You're never off." AJ shook her head. She knew him so well, and it was never like him to make a mistake like that. He was always very controlled, and had one of the best aims she'd ever saw.

"He just came out of nowhere." Punk said, "I got him to the hospital and I spoke to his parents. They were just happy he was ok." Punk nodded, "But I still see his face every day. I-I could have killed him." Punk shook his head as AJ stood up and walked around to him.

"You didn't though." AJ reminded him, sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, "Mistakes can happen. We're not perfect." She said, kissing the side of his head, "You should have told me sooner. I would never… I would never judge you. You've saw me fuck up plenty of times." She said.

"You've never shot a sixteen-year-old boy." Punk said.

"Maybe not." AJ nodded, "But things like that happen. You didn't mean it. It was an accident and… he's ok." AJ reminded him as he nodded, "What is Mike trying to do now? Get in your head?"

"Well he knows it's already in my head." Punk said, "He's always put me down for it. Always tried to get a reaction. And he's still doing it." Punk said as AJ sighed, resting against him.

"Forget about him. He's in prison. He can't get to you." AJ said, "You made a mistake, but that doesn't have to live with you for the rest of your life." AJ said, "That little boy is ok. I mean… he'll be in his twenties now, right?" AJ said as Punk nodded, "We make mistakes. We're human." She said as Punk nodded, "You should have told me."

"It just never felt right to bring up, and I figured if I kept it to myself then… it'd feel less real." He shrugged, "I think about it all the time."

"You shouldn't have to." AJ said, "We've all been there, Phil. Remember Seth? When he got the wrong guy and he was in prison for a year?" AJ asked him, "Or when Eve let that armed robber go?" She said as he nodded, "We're not perfect and mistakes can happen."

"I know. I just always think about what would have happened if… if I killed him." Punk shook his head, "He was just a kid out with his friends." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ cupped his cheek, "But he didn't die, and he's living his life. Don't think this makes you a bad person." She said, "If that's what Mike is trying to… tell you, then ignore him. He's worthless and he's just finding something to do whilst he's bored in prison." AJ spat.

"He thinks he has the one up on me because he's the only one who really knew about it." Punk said.

"Well I know now, and I can… understand better than anyone how it feels to make a mistake. I think everyone in the station can relate." AJ nodded as he smiled.

"You're amazing." Punk nodded.

"No, you're amazing." AJ smiled, "Don't… Don't ever feel like you can't talk to me about something. No matter how big or small it is." AJ nodded as he smiled, feeling her lean in and press a soft kiss on her lips.

He felt blessed to have such an understanding girlfriend. He didn't really know why he'd never told her about the terrible mistake he made all those years ago. He guessed they were both going through a rough patch at the same time. He wondered if maybe their distancing from each other was the reason they fell apart. Perhaps his aim was off that night because he didn't have his partner there with him. It was something he thought about all the time. He remembered carrying the kid, bleeding, into the hospital, begging for help. He could never really get it out of his head and Mike was taking full advantage of that. He did feel better however, now that AJ knew and she understood even more so.

* * *

 **A/N: More coming very soon! REVIEW and let me know what you think!**


	47. The Break-Up

**The Break-Up**

* * *

"Hey, Ape. I think this is a letter from your mom." Punk said, coming into their apartment after going out to collect any mail they had, looking over at AJ sitting on the couch with Nova asleep in her arms. Sometimes she liked to just sit and hold their baby girl. She knew it was a bad habit, but she couldn't help it, and it was an image Punk loved to see.

It had been a week since Punk told AJ about his mistake shooting a few years back. He really felt like a ton of weights had been lifted from his shoulders. It really was something that stayed with him every day, but now that she knew, it seemed to be that little bit more bearable. Maybe to some people, it wasn't worth even thinking about if the boy had grown up and recovered fine, but it still stayed with Punk. Just the thought of him making such a huge mistake like that, especially when he was a cop and should have known better… it lived with him every day, and he hoped now that it wasn't so much of a secret, that it would get a little better.

"She must have gotten my letter." AJ said, watching Punk walk round the sofa, taking a seat beside her, "Can you open it?" She asked as Punk nodded, opening up the letter. She had sent a picture of Nova to her mother with the details of her birth. Nothing too long.

"You want me to read it?" Punk asked her, looking down at Nova who was out cold, peacefully asleep in her mother's arms as AJ played with her tiny hand softly.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, opening up the letter, "April. I got your picture and I want to congratulate you on the birth of your daughter. She's beautiful. She looks like you when you were born, minus the dark hair. Her eyes are beautiful too, just like yours." Punk read as AJ raised her eyebrows, "I only wish I could be there to hold her and meet her in person, my first grandchild, but I'm better off where I am." Punk said, turning to AJ.

"Go on." AJ nodded.

"I'm content where I am. I have a routine which is foreign to me. You know that. But I have friends here now. I actually feel like I have a life." Punk said as AJ smiled to herself, "Take good care of Nova. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Love, Mom." Punk said, placing the letter down on the coffee table as AJ took a deep breath, trying not to get upset. It seemed like the only normal thing her mother had ever said to her.

"She's ok there?" AJ smiled as Punk nodded. She did worry about her mother at the home she was in, but receiving that letter from her had put everything she was worried about to bed. She always knew it would benefit her, and it seemed like she was content where she was, and had no desire to come out, which was best for both AJ and her.

"She seems like she's doing good." Punk smiled as AJ nodded with a smile.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, looking down at Nova, "Phil, I think we should go to your parents." AJ turned to him as Punk's facial expressions dropped to one of confusion.

"What?" Punk said.

"Well they… they haven't saw Nova yet and I think it's best you talk to them, especially your mother, about what's going on with Mike."

"I don't need to talk to them." Punk shook his head, "What good will it do?"

"It might clear your mind." AJ shrugged, "You said Mike told you it was your mom who slid the card under our door… you need to confront her about it." She nodded.

"Normally you'd tell me to just forget about it." Punk said. It wasn't like her to embrace confronting things that could have been easily forgotten about, like he was trying to do.

"I know." AJ nodded, "I know. Normally I would convince you just to… forget about them. Forget about everything but… maybe you need to talk to them, tell them how you feel, and then maybe they'll leave you alone… for good." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"Maybe you're right." Punk nodded, looking down. He did feel like he still had ties to his mother and father. Although he was very much estranged, he felt like he was still connected to them, no resolution had ever been made between them, and like AJ who had cut ties with her mother, where they both simultaneously decided to stay out of each other's lives, maybe that's what he needed to do with his own parents, more so his mother who just loved to do anything she could to get some form of reaction from him, "Nova doesn't need to come." Punk shook his head, looking down at their baby girl who lay sound asleep. It was the best time to watch her. She was always adorable, but the way she was cradled into her mother, her little firsts curled as her little chest rose and fell in rhythm. It was a little scary knowing he'd do anything for her. Anything.

"I think Nova should come." AJ said, "Let them have a taste of what they could have had if they treated you better." AJ said.

"I'm not going to see them to cry about how they treated me." Punk shook his head.

"I know, I'm not saying that." AJ said, "But I think you might feel better after it." She said. She'd never met his parents. She'd heard so much about them in the past ten years of knowing him. They always bonded over their messed-up families, so he knew that she would never judge him. She just wanted to make sure he felt like he didn't owe his family anything, and that he could move on without thinking about them. It seemed like they were still trying to put him down, his mom and his brother anyway. She didn't hear much about his dad, come to think about it.

"Ok." Punk nodded. Never thinking he would be convinced to go see his parents, but AJ could convince him into a lot of things, "Ok." He turned to her as she smiled, "I just… I want it to be us three. Just me, you and Nova." He said as she nodded.

"I want that too." AJ smiled, looking down at Nova whose eyes were opened, "Oh, someone is awake." AJ whispered, looking down at the baby girl who looked up at her, "You wanna go to daddy?" She asked, "Huh?" She smiled, leaning down and kissing Nova's nose as the baby girl smiled, "Hi, baby." AJ nodded in a dreamy voice, "Here, I'm gonna go make up her bottle. She'll be getting hungry." AJ said, passing Nova to Punk who took her willingly with a smile.

* * *

The next week, Punk and AJ were headed to Punk's parents house. AJ felt like Punk was uneasy about his family still lurking in the shadows, and continuing to try and get to him, especially over something that really weighed his mind down, such as the accidental shooting that happened, which Mike knew about and was trying to get inside his brain. She wasn't having that, and neither was Punk.

Nova was now six weeks old and it was fair to say, they were doing ok at this parenting thing. AJ felt better than ever and was back into her normal medication routine, as well as going back to see her doctor once every week. Punk was also enjoying time off work, adapting to being a father, and spending time with his girls.

"Is this where you grew up?" AJ asked, getting out of the car as Punk got Nova in her carrier. She was fast asleep after being fed and change before they came out.

"Yeah, unfortunately." Punk nodded. His parents' house was in the rougher side of Chicago, which was where he was brought up.

"Are you nervous?" AJ asked him, taking his other hand that wasn't occupied by carrying Nova's carrier.

"No." Punk shrugged, "I'm not nervous. I just… wanna say what I gotta say and then move on." Punk said. He wasn't here to cry about anything or get angry. He just wanted to tell his parents where he stood with them, so he could move on with his own family. The only family he'd ever really had.

AJ knocked on the door, keeping tight hold of Punk's hand as they awaited someone to come to the door, which eventually his mother did, looking a little shocked to see her son of all people. AJ just wanted to be supportive to her boyfriend. He had been there through her struggles with her mom, so she was gonna be there for him.

"Phil." Juliet said, widening the door open as she looked at her son, turning to AJ who smiled pleasantly.

"Mind if we come in?" Punk asked as Juliet gulped.

"Uh… ok. Come in." Juliet nodded, opening up the door as Punk stepped in first, holding Nova's carrier whilst AJ followed after him.

They walked into the living room where his dad was sat, watching as he looked up in disbelief. It had been a while since Punk had walked into his old home.

"Phil." His father, Dan said, sitting up as he shook his head, "Why are you here?" He said.

"I came to talk to you. Both of you." Punk said as his mother walked into the living room.

"Is this the baby?" Juliet asked, looking down at Nova in her carrier where Punk had sat down in front of the couch that he and AJ had sat down on.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "This is Nova." Punk said, "And this is April." Punk nodded to AJ who smiled to both his parents.

"She's lovely." Juliet smiled as her and Dan looked upon Nova who was fast asleep.

"Well, you'd know since you've been watching us." Punk looked at his mother, "And then going to Mike to tell him things." He said as Juliet's smile faded.

AJ had prepared herself for an intense meeting. She knew it wouldn't be a proud homecoming for Punk to show off his family. Because he didn't even regard this as his family.

"Don't be stupid." Dan laughed, "Your mother doesn't go to visit Mike." Dan said as Punk looked up at his father.

"She does." Punk said, "She does his mail for him too." Punk nodded as Juliet took a seat across from them whilst Dan looked at her.

"Is that true?" Dan asked as Juliet stayed quiet.

"I'm not here to show off my daughter." Punk said, "I'm here to cut off any sort of relationship I have with you both. I don't… I don't want you in my life. It's negative air I just don't need." Punk said honestly as Dan sat down on the chair as both he and Juliet looked across at their son, "I'm not trying to be the bad guy but… you guys don't want a relationship with me either, I doubt you ever have." He said.

"Now, wait a minute. That's not true." Dan objected, "What's this stuff about Mike?" He asked, extremely clueless as AJ watched with confusion. His father seemed put in the dark very much.

"That doesn't matter anymore." Punk said, "I came here to just… ask you if you could stay out of my life." Punk nodded, "I don't want you putting things under my door, mom." Punk looked across at his mother, "Or coming up to me at gas stations and putting things in my head." Punk said.

"When was this?" Dan asked, turning to Juliet who stayed silent as AJ watched them.

"It was a while back." Punk shrugged, "I figured you knew." Punk said.

"Phil, you gotta understand-" Juliet began.

"No, I understand perfectly." Punk said, "I'm not here to cry about how much you both love Mike and how I disappointed you both. But… he's the one in prison." Punk shrugged, "I guess you put all your money in the wrong kid." He said, "But I gotta give it to you, you guys sending me to the academy… best thing that ever happened to me, apart from Nova and April." Punk nodded as AJ smiled, "But you guys thought you were sending me there as a punishment."

"You were hard to control." Juliet said, "You were hard to talk to."

"You made it hard." Punk said, "But we don't need to get into it." He said, "What's done, has been done." He said, "I just wanted to come here to ask in the simplest of ways, if you could both let me live my life now. I don't… I don't want anything to do with you or Mike." Punk said.

And maybe from the outside looking in, Punk was being brutally harsh with his parents, but in the simplest of ways, he had been neglected by them since the minute he was born, and the fact that they still tried to put him down, just because he'd made something of his life, it wasn't something he should have had to tolerate, just like AJ didn't have to deal with her mother. He was ending the relationship, or at least what was left of it, and he wanted to move on with his life.

"That was all I really came to say." Punk admitted as his parents sat in silence, "I don't have much else to say." He said, turning to AJ who nodded, both of them standing up as AJ kept his eyes on his father, who seemed deeply hurt and confused.

"You got her?" AJ smiled to Punk who nodded, picking up Nova's carrier as he walked out of the house, meanwhile his mother had run off to the kitchen, no doubt embarrassed and ashamed. Punk had never confronted them or called them out like that, and it did upset her because she knew fine well that they had treated him poorly.

Meanwhile AJ stood and looked over at his father who placed his hand on his forehead and sighed.

"Mr Brooks?" AJ said, not even catching his name.

"Yeah?" Dan looked up as AJ thought about it. She knew it was wrong of her to do this without Punk knowing, but she wasn't all convinced that his father knew much about what had gone on in the past few years, and he looked like he didn't even know that he had a granddaughter.

"This is… This is my number." AJ said, taking out one of her detective cards from inside her bag, handing it over to him as Dan took it slowly and looked at it.

"Detective Mendez?" Dan shook his head as he read the card.

"AJ is fine." AJ nodded.

"Why are you giving me this?" Dan said.

"I'm not so sure you've been involved in much of this." AJ admitted, "If you… if you ever want to see your granddaughter. Just call that number." AJ nodded, "Goodbye." She said, quickly leaving the house as Dan looked at the card.

* * *

 **A/N: REVIEW and let me know what you think! Dealing with the family side of things right now but don't worry, once our favourite couple get back to work, tensions will rise again!**


	48. Forget It

**Forget It**

* * *

"Don't you think your dad was a little off?" AJ asked later that night.

They'd gotten home and put Nova down in her crib, enjoying some alone time on the sofa with Ace across on the opposite one, fast asleep. Things were peaceful and calm.

"My dad is always off." Punk said, seeing nothing different in his father's nature.

"No, but he seemed like he didn't know what was going on. Like he didn't know your mom had been visiting Mike… in fact, it looked like he didn't even know we had Nova." AJ said.

"Mom would have told him." Punk said, "He was probably just drunk when she said." He shrugged as AJ looked up at him. The visit didn't go how she expected it to go. She thought they'd come out feeling like they could continue with their lives, but her and her stubborn self-felt bad that his father seemed completely perplexed by everything. That's why she gave him her number. Not to go behind her boyfriend's back, even though that was essentially what she was doing.

"Hasn't he been sober for a few years?" AJ asked him.

"Apparently." Punk shrugged, "I doubt it though." Punk said, "I'm glad I could let them know I didn't want any connection with them." Punk nodded, "I do feel better." He looked down at her as she smiled, "Thank you for convincing me to go."

"Mhm." AJ smiled to him, turning away to look at the TV as she thought to herself. She didn't think it was fair on his father, especially when he wasn't to blame for much, if not anything, it seemed like his mother ran things in the house, and she was the one who liked to get inside his head, a lot like her own mother.

"This movie was on last night." Punk moaned, flicking through the channels to find something to watch whilst AJ continued to think about his father. She felt a little stupid now for encouraging Punk to go cut any ties with his parents, since it seemed that only one half of his parents was aware of everything that had been going on.

She shook the thoughts out of her head and decided that it was wrong of her to be in contact with his father behind his back, especially when she encouraged him to visit his parents and speak to them about them leaving him alone, for good. She had to get her mind off it.

"Phil." AJ whispered as Punk nodded.

"Yeah?" Punk said, continuing to flick through the channels.

"Take me to bed." AJ said, looking up at him as Punk looked down at her, tilting his head a little as she sat up, "It's been six weeks." She nodded, "I can't wait any longer." She said, circling her arms around his neck as he smirked.

"Really?" Punk smirked as she bit her lip and nodded, "You sure?" He asked her as she nodded, giggling as he suddenly stood up and picked her up with him, her legs circling around his waist as he walked to their bedroom with her, closing the door over behind him quietly. They had to remember there was a sleeping baby in the apartment now.

Punk pressed his lips against hers softly, laying her down on the bed as he stripped his t-shirt off before leaning over her, kissing her lips and trailing the kiss down her jaw and to her neck as she moaned with pleasure.

"Phil." AJ moaned sensually, feeling Punk dip his hands into her shorts and panties, parting her folds as he began playing with her clit, swallowing her moans with his mouth as she arched against his hand. She'd missed being intimate with him. Even when she was nine months pregnant, they found a way to have sex, but this six-week waiting period had been a killer, not that she'd had much energy she supposed.

"Fuck, you're wet." Punk moaned, as if praising her as she rolled her head back and smiled, disappointed when he took his hand from inside her panties, but smiled when he lifted her t-shirt and unclasped her bra, cupping her breasts and using his mouth on them back and forth as she rolled her head back, brushing her fingers through his hair as his tongue teased her nipples.

"Phil, oh God…" AJ moaned. Everything still felt so sensitive but not uncomfortable in any way. She was doing this on her terms and she felt like her body was ready, not to mention she felt desperate need for it.

Punk kissed his way down her body, "It was a lot bumpier the last time." He mumbled as she laughed a little, feeling him kiss her all the way down until he met her shorts and panties, pulling them down and throwing them off the bed as he parted her legs.

AJ moaned loudly when she felt him glide his tongue along her slit, teasing her clit as she gripped the bed sheet beside her, "Oh my God, baby." AJ moaned breathlessly as she felt him use his entire mouth to lap at her centre. And then she felt him slip a finger inside of her as she sat up, propping her elbows up as she looked down at what he was doing, "Another one." AJ nodded desperately as Punk slipped another finger inside her as she moaned blissfully, "That's it, baby." AJ moaned as he began to thrust his fingers back and forth, pausing as he pressed against her g-spot as she jumped and moaned.

"Found it." Punk whispered, crawling back up her body and meeting her with a kiss, "Lay back down." He guided her as she lay back down, feeling his lips travel to her neck as he continued to stroke his fingers back and forth, moving his thumb over her clit to massage it as she began to lose it.

"Baby, I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned breathlessly, "I'm gonna cum." She whispered that only she could hear.

"Let go for me. Get wet for me." Punk whispered in her ear, going back to kissing her neck as he felt her tighten around his fingers, gripping his arm as she arched her back off the bed and moaned loudly as he smiled.

"You gotta keep quiet." Punk laughed lightly in her ear as she gasped and shook her head.

"Don't make me cum like that then." AJ gasped as her body still twitched, nudging her forehead off his chin as he smiled, taking his fingers out of her as she pulled his hand up to her mouth, sucking on the fingers that had been inside her slowly and sensually as he grew harder and harder.

He wasn't even aware as they rolled over where she was straddling his hips on top of him, his fingers still in her mouth as she eventually let them go and unbuttoned his jeans, pulling at the belt as she pushed them down whilst he lifted his hips and kicked them off the bed.

He felt his length against her wet centre and smirked to himself. He'd missed this. He'd missed loving her like this.

AJ crawled down his body this time, pausing when she reached her destination as she began stroking him up and down.

"Fuck, April." Punk groaned, "Fuck." He moaned quietly, watching as she took him into her mouth, bobbing her head up and down on him repeatedly as she made sure to take him all the way in, even if he did hit the back of her throat a few times. She loved listening to him and making him feel equally as good as he made her feel.

She then moved back up his body, straddling his hips again and reaching for his length when he stopped her.

"You trust me?" He asked her as she raised her eyebrows and smiled, leaning down and kissing the corner of his mouth teasingly.

"Always." AJ nodded.

"Ok." Punk whispered, getting up and propping her up on her hands and knees, "Grab the headboard." Punk whispered to her as she smiled to herself.

"I like the sound of this." AJ smiled, placing her hands on the headboard whilst on her knees, watching him kneel behind. She'd mentioned it to him before, but here, in their bedroom, was the only time she willingly gave up full control of everything and allowed him to take control. She enjoyed to be dominated by him in their own private world, only for them.

"You can't scream. I know you like to scream." Punk said as she laughed seductively.

"You'll have to hold my mouth closed then." AJ smirked, continuing to hold onto the headboard as she suddenly felt him slip inside her from behind, "Oh, yes!" AJ moaned as Punk thrusted back and forth rather slowly.

"You ok?" He asked her, making sure she felt ok, considering what her body had been through.

"Faster!" AJ moaned, "Mmm… faster." She begged in response as Punk laughed to himself, gripping her hips as he began to slam himself into her. AJ soon enough found out why it was ideal for her to hold onto the headboard, since he had completely lifted her hips up, bringing her closer to him with every thrust he made, shaking her completely to the core as she tried her best not to be so loud. It was pretty hard.

* * *

Later that night after an intense intimate reunion, AJ enjoyed lying beside her boyfriend fast asleep, their naked bodies touching whilst the apartment stayed peacefully quiet, their baby girl in dream land in her nursery, and their dog equally the same out on the couch. It was nice not having work to go to. AJ was beginning to enjoy having the time off with her family. At first she thought it'd be a nightmare, and that she'd constantly think of work, but she was really enjoying taking some really long personal time with her little family that she loved with all her heart. But of course… the itch to return to work soon was still very much there.

In the midst of peacefully sleeping with her boyfriend, she woke up when she heard her phone vibrating from in the living room. She turned to Punk and saw he was out cold, snoring his head off, which made her smile. She wasn't surprised, given the sweat he'd worked up.

She got out of bed quietly, putting on her silk bath robe and heading out of their bedroom to reach her phone just in time.

"Hello." AJ said, not even thinking about who it obviously was that she'd just given her number to. All the dreamy sex and the peaceful atmosphere in their apartment had helped her to forget.

"AJ?" Dan spoke quietly through the phone.

"Oh… Mr Brooks?" AJ whispered, walking across into the kitchen.

"Please, it's Dan." Dan said, "I'm sorry for calling so late. I've not been able to sleep." He admitted, "Partly because I have a grandchild I never knew existed, and also because I have no idea what the hell has been going on with my wife and Phil."

"It's a lot to get into." AJ whispered.

"Could I meet you?" Dan asked as AJ ran her hand through her hair, "Could I meet with you and my granddaughter? I don't know if Phil would meet me." He admitted as AJ sighed quietly. She didn't want to do this, but the goodness in her heart was telling her that this man was doing no wrong.

"I can meet you." AJ nodded, "Just name where and when." AJ said.

"Tuesday. 2pm at Ruby's diner. Do you know it?" He asked.

"Yeah, I know it." AJ nodded, "I'll… I'll see you then." AJ said.

"Ok. Bye." Dan said, hanging up as AJ placed her phone down on the kitchen counter, running her hands over her face.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	49. Problem Solver

**Problem Solver**

* * *

Tuesday came around and AJ had told Punk she was going to her doctors, but that she was taking Nova with her since her doctor was desperate to finally see her. Punk never thought much of it and decided he'd catch up on some sleep and hockey. Any time to himself was crucial since they always had their attention on Nova, so it was kinda nice to have the apartment to himself, not that he'd say that to AJ of course.

But obviously, AJ didn't head to the doctors, she headed to the diner where she had arranged to meet Dan. She wheeled the stroller in, getting help from a few kind people who helped her bump the stroller up the stairs.

She then took a look around the diner and spotted his father sitting with a cup of coffee. She approached him, placing the stroller beside the table as she took a seat across from him as he smiled.

"It's nice to see you again." Dan smiled as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I… I really shouldn't be doing anything behind Phil's back but when we visited your house, I couldn't help notice how confused you were by everything." She said as Dan nodded.

"I… I didn't even know you existed or the baby did." He said truthfully, "Juliet never said a word to me. She also never told me she was visiting Mike in prison." He said.

"She's been helping him, trying to get to Phil." AJ said, "For as long as I've known Phil, which has been a pretty long time, she's always tried to… put things in his head. She'd just appear out of nowhere and say something that would stay in his head for weeks… months." AJ said, "Phil just wanted to cut loose ties, and I can only assume that he thought you knew about what was going on."

"I didn't." Dan shook his head, "We've never had a good relationship with Phil. That's always been clear to me. But never did I think my wife tried to purposely harass him the way you're saying she has." Dan said, "And after what Mike did, taking a shot at him, I told my wife I didn't want to see his face ever again and… she… she agreed with me?" Dan shook his head.

"Well she's been visiting Mike." AJ nodded as the waitress came over.

"Can I get you anything, ma'am?" She asked sweetly.

"Could I have a cup of coffee please?" AJ smiled as the waitress nodded, "Thank you." She said as she turned back to Dan.

"How did my wife know about you and the baby?" Dan asked.

"Mike told Phil that… she watches us." AJ shrugged, "Phil just wants to move on with his life. With his own family. He doesn't want anything to do with her, after all the things she's ever said to him."

"She wanted to give him up for adoption." Dan said as AJ double blinked, watching as he looked down at the table, stirring his coffee around in a trance, "I convinced her not to. I… I wasn't going to give my son to someone else." He said.

"W-Why… Why didn't she want him?" AJ questioned.

"That is a question only she can answer." Dan said, "Phil doesn't know so… please don't say anything to him." He said as AJ sighed, "But it was almost a done deal. I couldn't go through with it. There was no real reason to give him away besides the fact my wife insisted she couldn't cope. Mike was hard enough to handle."

"So the solution was to just give Phil away to someone else?" AJ asked. Then she couldn't help wonder if maybe that would have been best. Maybe her boyfriend would have had parents who cared about him, properly.

"That was her solution." Dan nodded, "I convinced her that he was part of our family and no one else's." He said, "And we kept him." He nodded, "But he was always a troubled boy. Very hard to get through to." He said, "Him and Mike were complete opposites of one another and they just constantly fought."

"Isn't that what brothers do?" AJ smiled.

"No. They weren't brothers." Dan shook his head, "They broke each other's limbs. Phil burnt Mike with a piece of coal from the fire. Mike cracked Phil's skull off the ground and fractured it." Dan said as AJ raised her eyebrows, "They were animals, and while Mike started to grow up and… attempt to make something of his life, Phil struggled a bit more."

"So you put him in the academy?" AJ followed as Dan nodded, waiting as the waitress put down AJ's cup of coffee.

"Juliet wanted to send him away to a boy's home but I tried to think of something that would be beneficial. Phil was always obsessed with cops. Which made it a little bit better whenever they swung by to take me in." Dan rolled his eyes, "So I figured we sent him there." He shrugged as AJ nodded, "I don't know I just… I always found it hard to connect with him. To understand him."

"Some parents just aren't close to their children but… they don't have to psychologically abuse them." AJ said, "Phil wants to move on. He has a good life now. He loves his job. We have a great apartment. A beautiful daughter." She said, "And he doesn't wanna think about the life had with you and his mother. And maybe that's harsh, but… I think he has a right to feel that way."

"He does." Dan agreed, "I just wanted to meet with you to… figure it all out. I have a lot of confronting to do with my wife." He admitted.

"Yeah, I think maybe you need to talk to her." AJ nodded as she began to hear soft whimpers and noises from inside the stroller as Dan looked over, "She'll be looking for her bottle probably." AJ said, standing up and looking into the stroller as she saw Nova lying wide awake, gurning a little as she kicked her legs, "Ok, baby." AJ nodded, lifting her up out of the stroller, "Ok." She soothed as Dan smiled.

"How old is she now?" Dan asked.

"She's almost seven weeks." AJ smiled, "Time is going by so fast." She admitted, looking over at Dan who smiled at the baby girl, "Do you want to… give her her bottle?" AJ smiled hopefully. She felt for the man in some ways. He seemed like he had been put in the dark from almost everything his wife was doing, and how she could see he felt like an idiot, but he could also see why it made sense considering how Juliet behaved when Phil was born.

"Can I?" Dan asked as AJ nodded.

"If you'd like." AJ smiled as Dan nodded.

She passed Nova over to him and heated her bottle up before giving it over to Dan who proudly fed her. She knew that Punk never had any real problems with his father besides his alcohol problems, but she could see a decent man in front of her, and she wondered if Punk was maybe wrong to shut him out too, even though she was the one who had encouraged it all. She just felt really conflicted, and she didn't know what to do or what to say to Punk. Especially when she knew that he was supposed to be given up for adoption. That was sure to send him completely over the edge.

"She's beautiful." Dan smiled as he fed his granddaughter, "Where'd you find her name?" He wondered.

"It was in a book Phil brought home one day. Someone in work gave him it." AJ said, "We knew we wanted to call her something unique and that just stuck out to us the most." AJ smiled, "The spelling in the book was Nova with an H at the end, but… we figured we'd just keep i a." She nodded, "Short and sweet." AJ smiled.

"She suits it." Dan nodded as AJ smiled. She knew she had to tell Punk about meeting with his father, but she didn't think it was her place to tell him about what he had told her.

* * *

"Hey, how was the doctors?" Punk asked, hearing the apartment door open, listening as Garry, the buildings security guard spoke to AJ, causing him to sit up and turn around.

"Thank you, Garry." AJ smiled to him.

"Anything for you, Miss April." Garry nodded, walking out of the apartment and shutting the door as Punk looked at AJ.

"What? He helped me up the stairs with the stroller." AJ smiled.

"You could have called I would have come down and helped you." He said as AJ just rolled her eyes, "Anyway, how was the doctors?" He asked her as she stayed silent, scooping out Nova from her stroller, holding her sleeping little frame closely as she took a seat on the couch beside Punk.

"I uh… I didn't go to the doctors." AJ turned to him.

"What? Why?" Punk said.

"There was never an appointment." AJ said, "I… I went to see your father." AJ said as Punk shook his head with confusion.

"My dad?" Punk said, "Why would you go see my dad, April?" Punk sat up.

"Well when we visited your parents house, he looked so confused by everything, so I gave him my number and-"

"Wait… wait a minute." Punk shook his head, "You gave my dad your number?" Punk asked.

"Don't say it like that as if I'm trying to hit on him." AJ rolled her eyes as Punk shook his head angrily, "So he called, he wanted to meet up so that's where I was. Phil, he didn't know anything about your mom visiting Mike. He didn't know we had Nova. He's been put in the dark with everything." She said as Punk stood up, running his hands through his hair.

"Why can't you just let things be?" Punk asked her, "You… You were the one who told me to go talk to my parents and tell them to leave me alone, to live my life." Punk shook his head, "And then you go meet up with my dad? You take my daughter with you without telling me."

"He was happy to see her. He wanted to see her." AJ said, "Baby, don't get mad with me."

"I am mad." Punk said, "Why are you always trying to solve everyone else's problems?" Punk asked her harshly as AJ gulped, "You told me to go speak to them and cut any connection with them that I had, so we could move on with our own family… and then a few days later you're going to see my dad?"

"I just wanted him to know what was going on, Phil. He knew nothing about your mom always harassing you, or Mike trying to get at you. He deserved to know." AJ said, "He seemed really hurt that you feel this way."

"Well boo fucking hoo, I'm in thirties and that's him just realising?" Punk said, "I can't believe you." He shook his head, he couldn't believe she had done this, "You're such a hypocrite."

"Excuse me." AJ shook her head, placing Nova down on her mat whilst Ace lay beside her and watched her as their parents argued it out, "I was just trying to enlighten him on all of this. He's not done anything to hurt you."

"He was never there!" Punk yelled.

"Keep your voice down." AJ hissed angrily as Punk groaned out loud and ran his hands over his face. She'd never had a fight with him over his family, and it seemed like he got rather angry about the whole thing.

"You had no right to go behind my back, after convincing me to cut my parents completely out of my life. You had no right to take Nova without telling me." Punk spat.

"Ok, then I apologise for that. I should have told you." AJ said, "But your dad seems genuinely upset that you feel this way. He knew nothing about your mom always getting in your ear."

"Oh, go be with him then if you feel that bad for him." Punk said.

"Don't be such a child." AJ spat, "I'm trying to help you here."

"By doing what?" Punk laughed, "By trying to solve everyone else's problems besides your own?" Punk shook his head, "Where is your dad? Huh?" He said, "Why don't you go worry about him and not mine." He said as AJ folded her arms, hurt glistening in her eyes as he realised that wasn't very nice of him to say that, "April." Punk sighed, watching as she rushed by him and walked into their bedroom, slamming the door shut as Punk ran his hands through his hair, listening as Nova began to cry, being woken up by the loud door banging.

"Alright." Punk nodded, "Ok. Ok." He said softly, picking the crying baby girl up into his arms, "It's ok." He said, kissing her head softly, "I got you. It's ok." Punk said.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	50. Secret

**Secret**

* * *

Punk stayed in the living room for the majority of the night until it got too late and he headed into their bedroom where AJ hadn't come out of since they had their fight.

He walked in and saw her lying on her side with her back to him, "I'm sorry for what I said about your dad." Punk said, "But I'm still mad." He said truthfully, grabbing his pillows from his side of the bed, pulling out the blanket from the bottom of their dresser, "I'll be out here if you need me." Punk said bluntly, walking out of the room and shutting the door over as AJ lay awake, shutting her eyes over tightly in hopes to fall asleep. She didn't like when they fought, and normally it was over stupid things, but part of her did feel guilty for meeting with his father. But she felt like it was who she was. She had to know things. She was a detective for crying out loud. She did feel guilty, but then he made the comment about her own father and she felt like they were actually pretty even. He knew better than anyone how much she wished she had a father in her life, and for him to say that really hurt her, and he knew that fine well.

She tossed and turned all night. She didn't sleep right without him, and Punk lay awake in the living room, equally as unsettled as he tried to get comfy. Then he heard their bedroom door creak open, listening to the footsteps approach him as he looked up at her standing in her panties and one of his t-shirts.

She didn't give him a choice, and pulled the blanket back from him so she could lay beside him, curling down into his chest as he pulled the blanket back over them on the couch, holding her close into him.

"Don't fight with me." AJ whispered as Punk looked down at her, "I only want what's best for you." She said as Punk sighed. He knew that. He knew that everything she done was for his best interest, but he just felt a little betrayed and hurt that she'd go behind his back, especially with Nova too.

"I know you do." Punk said, "I just don't want anything to do with either of them. They were never parents to me. Whether my dad knows what my mom has been up to or not, he still didn't look out for me or… bond with me the way a dad should with his son." Punk said as AJ looked up at him, "I know you have this… need to know things and sort things out, I get it, but don't act like you know my family better than me, because you don't." He said.

"I just wanted to be there for you like… like you were there for me." AJ shrugged.

"I get that." Punk said, brushing his hand down the back of her head lovingly, "But we're moving on. This is my family. You. Nova. Ace. They're not in my life anymore." Punk said as AJ just nodded. She felt like now was the time to tell Punk about what his father said. She couldn't hide something else from him, that would surely drive him insane. And she didn't want to, she just didn't know how he would take it.

"Phil." AJ said seriously as Punk looked down at her.

"What?" Punk said.

"Your dad told me something today." AJ said, "Something that I think you should know. It's… It's not in my place to tell you really, but… I don't wanna lie to you." She said.

"What is it?" Punk asked worriedly.

"When you were born… your mom wanted to put you up for adoption." She said, sitting up, placing her hand on his chest as he lay looking up at her with confusion.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Your dad talked her out of it. But… she was gonna give you away. She said she couldn't cope with two kids. Mike was enough." AJ said sadly, watching the hurt in his face and sighing. He didn't deserve this. He could convince himself he didn't need them all he wanted, but she knew he still felt pain from their actions and words, even more so now.

"Maybe they should have just given me away." Punk grumbled as AJ frowned, "My dad told you that?" He asked as AJ nodded.

"He said he always felt it hard to talk to you, to bond with you." AJ shrugged, "It was his idea to send you to the academy. Your mom wanted you to go to a boy's home." AJ said as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Of course she did." Punk shook his head.

"Phil, what is her problem with you?" AJ said, "Maybe I'm being your girlfriend here or maybe I'm being a detective, but… why did she never want you or… treat you the same as Mike?" AJ asked.

"It's just the way she is." Punk said, rubbing his hands over his face as AJ sighed.

"But it's strange." AJ said, "Don't you think it's strange?"

"She's been like that my whole life. It's just who she is. Dad is always realising now because he's fucking sober for the first time in so many years." Punk shook his head, "I'm better off not thinking about them." He said as AJ sighed, "Just stay out of it, Ape." He said, knowing that look on her face.

"Maybe you should talk to your mom. Call her out on why she wanted to give you away. What was her problem with you?" AJ shook her head, "She can't expect you to believe she just didn't want you. It's not like she was young and scared. She already had Mike." AJ said as Punk just shook his head.

"I don't care." Punk shook his head, "I just wanna forget about them." Punk said. She knew him so well that she knew he was trying to pretend he didn't care, to avoid actually feeling some sort of pain.

"Phil, it's ok to be upset." AJ nodded to him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it tightly, "You're allowed to feel hurt."

"Why? They've never been my parents." Punk said, "I have my own family. That's all I care about." He said as AJ nodded, feeling him pull her back down as she lay beside him on the couch, "I'm sorry for saying what I said about your dad. I really didn't mean it."

"It's ok." AJ said, "I can't get upset over a man I don't know." AJ told him as he kissed her head softly. She was trying not to think about it, but to her, she felt like Punk's mom wasn't telling her son something. She felt like she was taking an awful lot of her own anger out on him, and it didn't make sense to her. She wished she could train herself to forget about things, but she needed to know.

* * *

"Boo." AJ smiled the next day as she leaned over Nova on her play mat in the living room, playing peekaboo with her as she placed her hands over her face and then took them away. Nova wasn't much impressed, besides pushing out a small smile every now and then, other than that, she was staring at AJ like she was insane, "Boo." AJ smiled again as she uncovered her hands from her face, tucking her hair behind her ears as she leaned over Nova whilst Ace lay beside watching over the baby. He'd become very protective over her, "Hi, gorgeous girl." AJ smiled, ticking Nova's round little tummy whilst Punk walked out of their bedroom, "Phil, I think she's unsure of peekaboo. I don't know if she's scared." She admitted, turning around as Punk laughed to himself.

"She likes it when I do it." Punk shrugged.

"Well obviously. She loves you." AJ said, looking down at Nova, playing with her little socked feet. Sometimes they just spent the day watching her. They were still amazed that something so tiny and beautiful could belong to them.

Punk walked over to them, crouching down as Nova looked up at him, turning her eyes back to AJ as she tried to reach out for what seemed like her hair.

"Looks like she wants a tug on your hair." Punk chuckled, standing back up straight as AJ continued to play with Nova.

"When do you think she'll start crawling?" AJ wondered whilst Punk looked through the mail on the table.

"Isn't that another few months away?" Punk said, "She's still fresh out the packet." He said as AJ smiled.

"I guess." AJ nodded, "I can't wait to dress her up at Halloween." AJ smiled happily to herself as Punk rolled his eyes, "I think she should be a pumpkin on her first Halloween. Or a little bunny." AJ smiled, standing up to her feet and looking over at Punk who was just smiling shaking his head, "How you feeling today?" She asked him, walking over to him and running her hands down his arms, looking up at him. They had a bit of a restless night. Punk couldn't stop thinking about how he was almost adopted, and AJ couldn't stop thinking about why he was almost adopted.

"I'm fine." Punk nodded to her, "If my dad wants a further explanation on why I don't want them in my life anymore, then I'll give him it, but nothing has changed." Punk said, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water, "I'm still moving on with my life." He said as AJ nodded, "Are we going to the PD dinner next week?" He asked her as AJ rolled her eyes.

"I suppose we have to but… what about Nova?" AJ folded her arms, "We don't have anyone to look after her." AJ said, "The struggles of having shitty parents." She said as he nodded.

"She could come with us." Punk shrugged, "Or I'm not sure if Rocky is going this year. I could ask him and his girl to watch her." Punk said.

"As long as it's someone we know and trust then that's fine, but if we can't find anyone then we'll just have to miss it out this year. Or… you can go and I'll stay her." AJ shrugged.

"Well that isn't gonna happen." Punk said, "I'll talk to Rocky. I'm going into the station tomorrow to pick up some things. I got a meeting with Walter too to talk about when I'm coming back."

"When are you going back?" AJ questioned.

"In a month or two, depends on what Walter has to say." Punk shrugged as AJ nodded.

"I thought you were taking more time than that." AJ admitted calmly.

"Well, that will be around three months I've taken off… pushing four." He said, "We still got bills to pay and one more mouth to feed than usual." He said as she just nodded, "You mad?" Punk asked her cautiously.

"No." AJ laughed, "I just… thought you'd be off for longer." She said.

"I gotta get back, baby." Punk said, "You'll be back soon too." He nodded positively.

"I'm still aiming for six months." AJ nodded, "I don't feel as… desperate to get back now that she's here." AJ said, recalling back to being pregnant when she thought she would be itching to get back the second she gave birth to Nova, "But I'm still excited to get back and… six months is looking like the right time."

"Hey, you know what I said. If you're ready mentally and physically, go ahead." Punk nodded, "I'll back you all the way." He said, "We'll have to look for a daycare that Nova can go to, though." Punk said as AJ sighed.

"I know that's the only part that makes me sad." AJ admitted, "I really don't wanna leave her with strangers but… I mean, what does everyone else do?" She said.

"They won't be strangers. We'll get to know them. And we still get days off that we can spend together." He said as AJ nodded, "We'll make it work." He promised, kissing her head as he walked over to the couch, talking away to Nova as she smiled, her smile fading as she realised she was still thinking about his mom and what she was hiding.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	51. Dirty Little Secret

**Dirty Little Secret**

* * *

"So… how'd it go?" Seth asked as he walked by Punk who had appeared at the station the next day after having a meeting with Walter. He had also stopped by at his desk to look at any work that he'd left unfinished when he went on his leave. He was actually surprised at how much he was actually enjoying being off work, but the urge to get back was strong for both he and AJ, and he also had to consider the fact they had an apartment to run, and an extra little person to fend for now.

"I'm coming back next month we agreed." Punk said, "I told him that April is aiming to come back in two month's time, when Nova is six months old and he seems pleased with that so… we'll see." Punk nodded, spinning around on his office chair to look up at Seth, "How has panic P been doing?" He looked over to AJ's office where Kylie was in.

"She's been doing ok actually." Seth nodded, "Although she had a run in with Eve the other day. You know Eve doesn't like being told what to do. I wasn't there but Eve said she was really bossy and rude."

"She thinks she's better than everybody." Punk nodded, "Whatever, she'll be gone when AJ is back." He said.

"How is AJ and little Nova?" Seth smiled.

"They're good, man." Punk smiled, "We've been caught up in some shit with my parents but things have been good." Punk nodded.

"And what about when you both start working again. Where is Nova gonna go?" He asked.

"Well we'll need to look into some form of daycare." Punk nodded, "Or a babysitter." Punk said as Seth nodded, "I know AJ isn't very keen on it but… it's not like we got generous parents to help us out." Punk shook his head as Seth watched him.

"You wanna talk about it?" Seth asked, sensing that his friend was in some sort of distress with his family.

"It's really not even worth it." Punk said, "I don't see them as a part of my life anymore." Punk shook his head, "I just wanna move on with my own family now. My real family. Only family." He nodded.

"Well look, Eve still struggles with her shoulder, you know… from when she was shot. She's gonna be talking to Walter about going part-time so… whatever days she has free, she could watch Nova, I'm sure she really wouldn't mind." He said as Punk smiled.

"We'd really appreciate that. Any… Any help would be appreciated." Punk nodded, "I think AJ feels bad for… having to leave her to go back to work, but I know at the same time she's desperate to get back." Punk said, "Nova means so much to her. I was a little worried when she was pregnant, I didn't know if she would be so connected with the baby but… she's amazing." Punk nodded, "Nova is like her entire world."

"That's good." Seth smiled, "It must be nice to see. I can't wait to have little versions of me and Eve running around." Seth admitted truthfully as Punk smiled.

"It's the greatest thing I've ever done." Punk nodded, "Without a doubt." He said.

"Good." Seth nodded, "I'm glad you feel that way. She's a lucky girl." He said as Punk smiled, "So you'll be back in a month, AJ will be back in two?" Seth asked.

"A month and a half." Punk said, "I'll definitely be back. AJ is aiming for being back when Nova turns six months. As long as she's healthy and ready to go back, I support her all the way. A part of me is desperate to get back out there with her." He admitted.

"Yeah, well you two need to be a little more careful now. Not that you weren't before but… there's a little girl depending on you now." Seth said as Punk nodded, thinking back to that mistake he had made with the sixteen-year-old boy all those years ago. AJ was the only person who knew from the station, he hadn't even told his friends, and he didn't plan to.

"We're always careful, Seth. You know that." Punk said as Seth nodded.

"Best damn cops I know." Seth nodded, patting Punk on the shoulder, "Ok, I gotta get back to work, give AJ and Nova my love." He said.

"I will." Punk smiled, spinning back around to face his desk as he opened up his top drawer, placing in some folders as he got a glimpse of the engagement ring that had been sitting in the drawer for almost a year.

He took it out and looked at it. He'd totally forgotten it was in there since not long after he put it there, AJ found out she was expecting, and that became his main focus. But he still didn't know if marriage was something he was opened to. Maybe that was stupid considering he'd bought the ring, but he felt very inclined to do so, because at that time, he didn't want to lose AJ. Now he didn't know if they even needed marriage to be a healthy couple. They were doing pretty fine without it.

He put it back in the drawer at the back and shut it over, leaving the station to head back home to his girls.

* * *

"Taste." AJ said, practically shoving her cooking spoon into Punk's mouth later that night.

"Hey, that's not bad." Punk nodded as she smiled, "What is it?"

"Some sort of casserole thing." AJ shrugged, "I also made cookies, they're in the oven." She told him.

"It's like you really love me." Punk said as AJ smiled.

She'd been baking and cooking all day to take her mind off of Punk's family. It was just in her nature to know things and she knew if she sat down long enough, her brain would do over time and start to wander.

"So do you think Eve would really look after Nova for a few days?" AJ asked him. He had been telling her all about his meeting with Walter, and then also his conversation with Seth.

"Well Seth said she's thinking about going part-time, and he said she'd probably love to look after her." Punk said, "Eve is great with her any time she comes to visit." Punk nodded and AJ could only agree. Her friendship with Eve was really mending and patching up, especially since Eve was so great with Nova.

"Well I'd have to talk to her." AJ said, "I wouldn't put all of that on her just so we can go out and work." AJ shook her head.

"You can talk with her, I don't know." Punk shrugged, "How long has Nova been down?" He wondered, looking at the noise monitor on the kitchen counter.

"She literally just went down before you came in." AJ said, "She'll probably wake soon for her last feed." AJ said as Punk nodded, "Did you let Rocky know we were just going to skip the PD dinner this year?" AJ asked him.

"Yeah, I did. He said if we change our minds he'd be happy to look after her." Punk said. They had decided last night in bed that they didn't really feel up to going to the PD dinner. So much had gone on with Punk's family, and AJ's mind wasn't in the right place, nor was Punk's. They thought it'd be best just to stay at home with their baby girl.

"I just… don't feel up to it this year." AJ shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Me neither." Punk agreed, "I was actually thinking today." He said as she looked up at him, "I'm gonna call my dad, ask to meet him and… talk to him before I finally brush my hands off with all of this." He said, "If anything he deserves more explanation than my mom. You're right, he never hurt me or tried to get in my head, but he still wasn't a dad. He didn't do anything to help me." Punk said, "So I'm gonna call him tonight after dinner, and arrange to meet with him."

"I think that's a great idea." AJ smiled. She was really proud of him. Although his family was a touchy subject, he was getting better at dealing with things in the right way, the best way, and she was proud of him. She understood how it felt. She understood that frustration and feeling of neglect.

She walked over and hugged him tightly, breaking away when cries came from Nova's nursery and the sound monitor on the kitchen counter.

"I'll get her bottle ready." Punk smiled, kissing AJ's head as she nodded and headed across to Nova's nursery to lift her for her last feed of the night, before they could settle down to their own dinner.

* * *

Later that night, AJ and Punk were sound asleep in bed. Nova was sound asleep in her crib in her nursery whilst Ace lay outside the door, asleep, guarding her of course. Punk was a rather heavy sleeper, if he was tired, which she knew he was, so he didn't even stir when there was a light knock at their apartment door.

She sat up immediately, opening up her top drawer and placing her hand on her gun, lifting it and leaving the bedroom, her hair all over her face as she was practically still half sleeping.

She looked through the peep hole of the door and shook her head with confusion, placing the gun over on the table as she went back and opened up the apartment door.

"Hello." Juliet said quietly as AJ stepped out into the hall, only in her shorts and one of Punk's t-shirts, feeling the cold as she folded her arms and shut the apartment door behind her.

"It's 1am." AJ shook her head, still trying to waken herself.

"I couldn't sleep. I haven't been sleeping." Juliet said, "Everything… Everything you need to know is in here." She said, passing the envelope to AJ who took it with confusion.

"Everything I need to know?" AJ asked, "I don't believe this is any of my business." AJ admitted.

"I can't… I can't face Phil." Juliet shook her head as AJ tore into the envelope curiously, opening it up as she read it with confusion, "Just tell him I'm sorry." She shook her head, about to leave on her way.

"Wait… what is this?" AJ asked her.

"Please, my cab is running outside." She said as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Where are you going?" AJ questioned, "Tell me what this is and why you can't just give it to Phil. He's your son." AJ said.

"Dan isn't his father." Juliet said as AJ's eyes widened, "I was… I was having an affair and I got pregnant." She said as AJ looked back at the papers, "That's the DNA testing I had done once he was born. I didn't know if there was a possibility that Dan might have been his father but…" Juliet shook her head, "He's not."

"Does Dan know?" AJ shook her head.

"No." Juliet said, "We weren't happy at the time and when I told him I was pregnant he thought that was going to fix our relationship."

"And it wasn't even his?" AJ spat, "Why have you never told him… why have you never told Phil?" AJ shook her head. This was a lot of information to process at 1am.

"It never felt right. I wanted to put him up for adoption but Dan wouldn't let me. He kept saying he wasn't going to give his son away." Juliet shook her head, "Ever since then I could barely look at Phil. He's just… a reminder of what I did to my husband. He's a reminder of the mistakes I made."

"That's not his fault." AJ spat, "How dare you take this out on him." She said as Juliet looked down at the ground shamefully, "They both deserve to know the truth. Phil and Dan." She said, listening suddenly as the apartment door behind her squeaked open.

Punk stood in just his boxers, looking across at his mother, having listened to the entire thing as AJ stepped back a little beside him. She could already tell by the look on his face that he had heard everything.

"The least you could have done… was tell me to my face." Punk spat. He thought he didn't have respect for his mother anyway, but now… now he didn't even wish to acknowledge her.

"I always had a feeling that you knew. You and Dan never bonded." She said.

"You and I never bonded either but unfortunately you're still my mom. Or is that a lie to?" Punk asked as Juliet sighed.

"Phil, I'm sorry." Juliet nodded as Punk just shook his head, not believing it.

"So where is my dad? My real dad? What's his name? Where is he?" Punk asked.

"He died." Juliet said, "He was just some guy I had met at work. He was good to me. He was a good man." She nodded, "He knew nothing about you."

"Well does he have other kids?" Punk asked.

"He didn't have any other family, as far as I know." Juliet shook her head as Punk just turned away from her in disgust.

"So you took your own guilt and anger out on me, just because you fucked up." Punk said.

"Everytime I saw you I was reminded of what I had done and it was hard." Juliet said.

"But that wasn't my fault!" Punk yelled, "That was your fault for whoring around with other men behind dad's back." Punk spat.

"Phil." AJ said softly, placing her hand on his chest, but she didn't want him to take it easy on his mother, this was a lie too big.

"You're just a waste of my fucking time." Punk shook his head as Juliet looked up at him, "All those years of trying to get in my head, trying to send me away to different homes, was just so you could feel that little bit better about your cheap affair." Punk spat, "How do you think dad is gonna feel?" Punk spat, "Finding out that I'm not even his son." Punk cringed. As a father himself, he felt sick about even the possibility of finding out Nova wasn't even his. Of course that wasn't anything he had to worry about, but he couldn't help feel for his father, or what he thought was his real father.

"That's why I didn't tell him. He might not have been the best father, but he loved you… you and Mike." Juliet nodded, "And I didn't wanna take that away from him."

"So you just took everything out on me." Punk nodded as Juliet sighed.

"I have to go." Juliet said.

"Where?" Punk asked, "Where are you going?"

"I think it's best I get out of everyone's hair." Juliet said as Punk laughed sadistically, turning to April.

"You hear that? She's doing us a favour. She's dropping a fucking bomb like this." He said, taking the DNA papers from AJ, "And then she's gonna disappear. Leave all her destruction behind for us to pick up." Punk spat, "I'm not even surprised."

"I'm sorry. Tell Dan I'm sorry." Juliet shook her head.

"You're not even gonna tell him to his face? You were just gonna come here, tell my girlfriend and then disappear?" Punk spat, "You're just a coward." Punk shook his head.

"I don't wanna see him upset." Juliet said.

"Should have thought about that before you opened your legs for someone else." Punk said.

"Ok, that's enough." AJ whispered, "Just let her go." She said, slightly nudging Punk back into the apartment.

"I really am sorry, Phil." Juliet said.

"No, you're not. You're not sorry. You're sorry you got pregnant and I ruined your little secret." Punk spat, "Well fuck you." Punk pointed, "I deserve better and so does dad." Punk spat as Juliet nodded, turning away and walking down the apartment stairs as Punk shook his head, storming back into the apartment as AJ followed, shutting the door over as she turned around, looking over at Punk who was reading the papers.

"Phil, I-" She paused as she watched him throw the papers across the room angrily, losing whatever control he had when speaking to his mother, which was very little, and storming into their bedroom angrily.


	52. My Dad

**My Dad**

* * *

AJ walked into their bedroom after Punk. She didn't know how he was gonna react to this sort of news. It was like he couldn't catch a break at all, and she just wanted to be there for him as much as she could. She knew his anger would some subside and his emotions would get the better of him.

"Phil." AJ whispered softly, looking over at him sitting down on the edge of the bed at the bottom, his elbows on his thighs and his hands in his hair.

She walked over to him and sat next to him, placing her hand on his bare back as he lifted his head and sighed.

"Why couldn't I just… walk away?" Punk asked her, "Why couldn't I just cut them out of my life and move on? Now she's left this big fucking cloud over my head and it's… it's always gonna be there." He said.

"No it won't." AJ shook her head, "It's a shock, I know. I can't imagine how you feel, but… I guess it sort of makes sense now." AJ shrugged.

"Oh, yeah. It makes sense now we can all move on." Punk shook his head.

"I don't mean that." AJ sighed, rubbing his back gently, "Baby, I just want you to know that I'm here and there's nothing you can't talk to me about. If you need me to come with you to talk to Dan, I will." AJ nodded.

"He's my dad. Call him my dad." Punk told her, "I'm in my thirties, he's the only dad I've ever known." He said, "I'm just fed up of the lies. I'm fed up of her. Why-Why should I have to be the one to tell my dad about her… affair." Punk spat with disgust.

"You shouldn't." AJ nodded, "She has fucked up completely and she's running away from it all, but… we don't run away from things. We face them head on." She said.

"Well maybe I don't wanna face this head on." Punk shook his head, "Why did you have to encourage me to go… cut things off with them?" He stood up and turned to her as AJ shook her head, "Everything would have stayed the same if I just left it." Punk said.

"Oh, this is my fault?" AJ asked him, "Of course it's my fault." AJ nodded to herself.

"I'm not saying it's your fault, I'm saying… you suggested going to see them when I really didn't have to."

"Well I'm glad you did because at least now you have the truth." AJ stood up, "Phil, please… please don't turn this around me." She said strictly. She wouldn't have him turn it around on her, just so he could take his anger out on someone.

"You don't know how this feels, April." Punk ran his hands over his face, "I already felt like my life was a joke and now… now this?"

"Your life is far from a joke, Phil." AJ said, "Am I a joke? Nova? Is she a joke?" AJ asked.

"I meant my parents and brother." Punk said, "My brother is in prison for trying to kill me. My mom is a liar and a cheat. And my dad isn't even my real dad." Punk laughed to himself, "Tell me that isn't a joke." He shook his head.

"Just because they fucked up, doesn't mean you are fucked up." AJ said, "Forget about your mom and your brother. They're not even worth the thought." AJ shook her head, "Your dad deserves the truth." She said as Punk sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah, he deserved it from my mom. She has all the answers but she's a fucking…" Punk bit his tongue, shaking his head as AJ watched him. He was angry for sure.

"Forget about her." AJ said, sitting back down next to him, "Forget about her and your brother. Maybe your dad… maybe he was caught up in all of this the same way you were, and now is our chance to give him peace of mind." AJ nodded.

"I never thought it was this bad. I just thought they didn't care about me or bother to notice I was even there." He said, "Which I think I would have preferred, but now that I'm… I'm part of my mom's dirty little secret, I was the outcome of it…" Punk shook his head, feeling physically sick as AJ sighed.

"This doesn't change much." AJ said as Punk turned to her, "No, hear me out." She said, "I don't know how you're feeling. I can't imagine being told something like that, especially so late on in life, but… you said it yourself, Dan is always gonna be your dad, he raised you, he might not have done a great job at it, but he was the only dad you knew. You always told me, you don't have to be blood, to be family." She said as he nodded, "Your mom is still that person you can't face and it seems like she's done everyone a favour and left, even if she has left all her destruction behind. And your brother… what's the point in even talking about him when he's behind bars for the rest of his life?" AJ said as Punk listened to her, "We'll talk to your dad, we'll tell him everything, and we'll figure this out." She said, placing her hand on his knee and squeezing it as he nodded.

Her words were soothing. He felt all over the place. His heart was racing and his palms were sweating, but she was managing to calm him down. She was right. His mom had finally done what he'd been wanting for so long… she'd left, and maybe she deliberately wanted to drop the bomb she had dropped to get to him one final time before leaving, or maybe she just felt it was right to tell him, even though it was AJ who she was telling because she was too coward to face him.

"I really don't wanna see the look on his face when I tell him." Punk shook his head.

"I'm sure he's gonna feel the same way you do. He's still gonna see you as his son. It's been too many years to just… forget about each other because you're not really his son." AJ said, "He's gonna be broken probably, but… maybe we can… maybe we can help him." AJ shrugged. She could see that maybe his father wasn't the evil villain in all of this quite like his mother. It seemed like he had been put in the dark for pretty much everything, and had done his best to raise Phil and Mike alongside having his struggles with alcohol and getting in trouble with the police. He wasn't a bad person. AJ knew a bad person when she saw them.

"You think he'll be ok?" Punk asked her.

"I think he'll be upset but… I think he'll be ok, yeah." AJ nodded as Punk sighed.

She linked her arm through his and leaned her cheek against his shoulder, kissing his arm softly. She couldn't help but feel like this was the best thing to happen. Not necessarily her boyfriend finding out his dad wasn't really his biological father, but with his mother leaving and his father brought into a different light, it seemed like things made just a little bit of sense now.

"I'll call him tomorrow." Punk sighed.

"We'll do this together." AJ nodded.

* * *

The next day, Punk had called Dan and they agreed to meet with him later that night. They decided to take Nova in hopes she could maybe lighten the revelation up a little. They met at the diner that AJ had met him in and Punk had taken the papers his mother had gave him.

"Is she asleep?" Dan questioned, looking in the stroller once AJ and Punk arrived, smiling as he looked down at baby Nova sound asleep in her stroller, "Oh, she's out cold." He smiled as AJ and Punk slid into the booth whilst Dan sat back down, "I ordered you both a coffee but if you wanna order food then I'll call the girl back over." He said.

"It's ok." Punk nodded.

"We've already eaten." AJ smiled as Dan nodded. She could see a little glow around Dan. He seemed excited and happy that they'd both came to meet him with Nova. It saddened her a little considering they had met to tell him bad news.

"Dad, we uh… we gotta talk." Punk said as Dan looked across at him, "I assume you've saw that mom is gone." Punk nodded as Dan buried his head.

"Mhm." Dan mumbled, "In all honesty, Phil, we've not been getting along as much as we used to. Nevertheless, walking out like that shouldn't have been an option." Dan shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Well before she left she uh… she dropped me with some news." Punk said, "Bad news."

"Is she ok?" Dan asked worriedly.

"She's fine." Punk spat hastily, "Before she left to wherever the hell she's slithering to." Punk said as AJ nudged him under the table, "She gave me this." He said, sliding over the opened-up envelope to him as Dan took it and opened it up to read it, "Mom was… having an affair with someone else and… I'm not…" Punk took a deep breath, "I'm not yours, biologically." He said.

AJ could see the colour drain from Dan's face like a slowing down thermometer. He seemed to just turn a green colour, and whilst looking on at the DNA tests, he looked like he'd just been told he had a day to live.

"You're not…" Dan looked up from the papers, "You're not my son?" He asked in a daze, "No… your mom is just playing with you, c'mon. You're my son, Phil. You have my eyes." Dan shook his head.

"I got mom's eyes." Punk said truthfully, "Look, just because you're not my biological father doesn't mean things change between us. You're always gonna be my dad. It's not about blood. You raised me. You were and will always be the only dad I know." He said, never thinking such nice things could come out of his mouth about his family.

Meanwhile Dan just sat in complete silence. Complete shock.

"Juliet said that… Phil was a reminder of her mistake and we think that's why she never wanted him or… never really acknowledged his existence actually." AJ shook her head as Dean just sat staring at Punk.

"She had an affair?" Dan asked as Punk nodded.

Punk couldn't understand how bad his father must have felt right now. He couldn't imagine being in his shoes where AJ sat him down to tell him she had an affair with another man, and had a baby with him. He'd be in pieces.

"It doesn't change anything between me and you." Punk promised, "You're still my dad. Ok. Do you understand?" Punk looked him in the eye, "You can feel whatever anger or hatred you want to against mom… you should feel anger. She's a liar and a cheater and she… she ruined us. Both of us." Punk nodded as Dan sat silently in a daze, "You're still my dad." Punk repeated, emphasising it as much as he possibly could.

"I didn't… I don't know what to think." Dan shook his head as the waitress approached the table to sit down the coffees.

"I felt the same way." Punk nodded, "I'm just glad she's left and she can't lie or hurt us anymore." Punk said as Dan nodded.

"I should have… I should have saw the signs." Dan shook his head.

"No, she just shouldn't have cheated. Full stop." AJ spat, "That's not how you treat your husband. That's not how you treat anyone you love… doing that." AJ shook her head as she stirred her coffee.

Punk was glad she was here with him to help him tell his father, and to help assure him.

"So I… I don't have a granddaughter?" Dan smiled sadly.

"No, you do." Punk said, "And she's right there." Punk pointed to the stroller, "Who was the guy who taught me how to ride a bike? Who was the guy who took me to the hospital when I fractured my skull? And then told me after that I'd be smarter now?" Punk said as Dan smiled, "Who was the guy who despite his problems and his own demons, was always there for me if I ever really needed him?" Punk said, "You weren't father of the year. No one is. But you tried your best." Punk said, "You're my dad." He said as Dan sat quietly.

Luckily, Nova picked a great moment to break silence and began to cry from her stroller.

"She's not due a bottle." Punk said to AJ who got up and lifted the baby from her stroller as Dan watched.

"She might just want a cuddle." AJ said as Punk nodded, turning to his father who despite what he had just been told, he was smiling as he looked on at Nova.

"You wanna hold her?" Punk asked him as Dan nodded.

AJ passed Nova over to Dan who took her comfortably in his arms, quietening her right down until she was cradled in his arms, drifting back to sleep as AJ smiled, placing her hand on Punk's thigh under the table.

"I think she likes you." Punk nodded as Dan smiled.

It was gonna take a lot of getting used to. Something so shocking as learning his son who was in his thirties now, wasn't really biologically his… he was completely devastated and hurt that his wife had not only cheated but had lied about it for this long. He was glad she had taken off because he would have lost it completely with her.

But he heard Punk, and he oddly didn't feel like anything was different with them, if anything… strangely enough, he felt closer to him, closer than he'd ever been. And little Nova was breaking the tension too, who he still felt was really his granddaughter. It was a shocking revelation, but oddly enough, the love had never felt stronger.

* * *

 **A/N: Learning that they aren't blood related has made them closer! I like the concept of that. Back to work soon for AJ and Punk. REVIEW and let me know what you think! I still have lots planned. Thanks for those of you who review, it means a lot.**


	53. Welcome Back

**Welcome Back**

* * *

"Ok, so she'll let you know when she's hungry. We're giving her full bottles now since she's bigger. She normally goes down around 11, wakes around 2, right?" AJ turned to Punk who nodded, "And obviously if there's any emergency just call us right away." AJ nodded, passing over five-month-old Nova to Dan who was eager to look after her.

Punk had already been back at work for a few weeks, and it was now AJ's time to get back. She felt ready and she felt healthy to get back in her office. Although she was going to miss Nova so much, she was so attached to her daughter, they both were, and leaving her for a full day's work was heart-breaking but she also found it was healthy too, and it was good for Nova to spend some time with her grandfather.

Dan had been doing ok on his own since Juliet had left and dropped the bomb she had. If anything, Punk felt as close as he'd ever been to his father. Both AJ and Punk could see that he enjoyed spending time with Nova. She was like a little therapeutic coping mechanism for him, and the choice to have him look after her every now and then when they were at work was pretty easy.

"You two are acting like I've never took care of a baby before." Dan scoffed, "She will be just fine." He said, holding Nova in his arms who was curled into him. Nothing had drastically changed. Punk was still calling him dad, and Dan still saw Punk as his son.

"Ok. Ok." AJ nodded to herself, "Bye, baby. We'll see you later." AJ said, looking round at Nova with a smile. She was a very easy-going, laid back baby who rarely caused up a fuss. She had no doubt she'd be great for her grandpa.

"Ok, Ape c'mon." Punk nodded to AJ who could have just stood and stared at Nova all day.

"Ok." AJ nodded, leaning over and kissing Nova's cheek, leaving the house.

"Thank you for taking care of her." Punk nodded to his father who smiled.

"It's my pleasure." Dan nodded, "Don't worry about her. She's just fine here."

"I know." Punk nodded, "We'll be around later to pick her up. Just call us if you need anything."

"Yes, ok. Now go before you're late." Dan ordered as Punk nodded, kissing Nova goodbye and leaving the house.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Punk asked, pulling up outside the station as AJ smiled to herself.

"I miss her already." AJ nodded, "But… I'm really excited to be back." She smiled to herself, "I just can't wait to… sink my teeth into a case and get back out there with you." She nodded as Punk smiled.

"Well you've been missed. A great deal." He said.

"So much has changed in the past two years." She shook her head as Punk nodded, "Yet, everything feels the same. Me and you, showing up to work, just like we always have." She smiled to herself.

"One day you're gonna get fed up of it." Punk hummed as she shook her head.

"Never." AJ said, getting out of the car as Punk followed.

They walked into the station where everyone said their welcomes back to AJ as she proudly walked through her second home. She did miss her baby girl. She knew she would. But her mind was definitely in the right place to come back. She felt good physically and mentally, and after having a meeting with Walter a few days ago, for him to see with his own eyes that she was ready, as well as having her shoot down at the range to make sure she was stable enough, he gave her the go ahead to come back.

AJ walked up the station and into her office, smiling to herself as she took her coat off and hung it over the back of her office chair. It felt so good to be back.

"Home sweet home." Punk said, walking into her office as she sat down on her chair and rested back.

"I think I just had an orgasm when I walked through the door." AJ told him as Punk laughed.

"You're a strange kid." Punk said as AJ smiled, "Here are the cases that Kylie was working on. Maybe you could wrap them up." He said, walking over to her desk and sitting the folders down as she looked at them.

"Where even is she?" AJ asked him.

"I think she moved onto another station." Punk shrugged, "I did hear she was trying to go after your job but Walter shut her down." He said as AJ shook her head.

"I knew she was." AJ said.

"Whatever, she's gone now." Punk said, "Give me a shout if you're heading out with any of these cases. I'm finishing off a report." He told her as she nodded, opening up the folders as he smiled, "It's good to see you back." He nodded as she smiled up at him.

"It's really good to be back." AJ smiled, "But I do miss our baby." She nodded.

"My dad will be fine with her. She loves my dad." Punk shrugged. Once the shock of everything had settled down with the bomb his mom had dropped them with, things calmed down pretty quickly, and it had brought him closer to his father, which he was thankful for. It seemed like they were finally bonding after years of finding it hard to.

"I know she does." AJ said, "I just miss her little face." AJ sighed. Although she missed her baby girl, they did have five months with her where they enjoyed watching her grow and develop, even in that short time. Their life was still very much centred around their gorgeous daughter, and it always would be.

"You should get a little picture of her for your desk." Punk said, "And a giant portrait of me on the walls." He nodded as she rolled her eyes.

"I might actually. It'll stop people from coming in here." She said as Punk's smile faded as she laughed, "Go finish your report." She shook her head as he smiled, flicking her chin playfully, about to leave her office when Dean rushed in.

"I know it's your first day back, April but… we got something big going on." Dean said as AJ looked across at him and gulped, "Two girls were abducted from their home last night. 4 year old and a 6 year old." He said as AJ stood up.

"Sisters?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." Dean said, "I got uniformed officers out checking the area where they were taken from. I got the list of cars that were on the street that night from a neighbour, but I gotta hand it over to you two now." He said as AJ nodded.

"Ok, tell us everything you know." AJ said, putting her coat on as she left the office with Dean and Punk.

* * *

Later that day after Punk and AJ found out all the information they needed to know about the abduction of the two girls close by, they had to go visit the parents of the girls, which wasn't the greatest start to AJ's first day back, but it was her job and she was already thriving on finding the two girls.

"I'm detective Mendez." AJ introduced herself after being invited into the house.

"Sergeant Brooks." Punk nodded to the mother and father. Both looked like ghosts. They still looked in complete shock. It was hard to imagine the fear and the complete shock of having two children taken from the house during the night.

"The case has been passed along to me." AJ explained, "I'm gonna need to ask you a few questions first of all and then… I'm gonna need to take a look around, particularly in the girl's bedrooms." AJ said.

"Shouldn't you be out looking for her?" The father, Harry asked whilst the mother, Jenna, sobbed quietly beside him.

"Sir, I can assure you that we have every uniformed officer in the department out looking for your daughters." Punk said, "We just need your cooperation right now." He said.

"Who is the oldest?" AJ asked, sitting down across from Harry and Jenna whilst Punk stayed standing.

"Nicole is older. Lucy is the little one." Jenna whimpered as AJ sighed.

"Do you have… any pictures for us, that we could keep for the time being?" AJ asked.

"Oh, yeah… I… I looked some out." Jenna stood up, wiping her nose with her tissue as she wandered away and came back with two recent pictures of the girls, handing them over to AJ as AJ looked at them both.

"Thank you." AJ nodded to her, "I'm gonna need to know about where Nicole and Lucy were yesterday. Sergeant Brooks is gonna go take a look upstairs, if that's ok?" She said, turning to Punk who nodded.

"Yeah, that's ok." Harry said as Punk nodded, leaving the living room and heading upstairs.

"We were at the park." Jenna told AJ, "We uh… we got up and we went to church like we do every Sunday, and then we came back… we had pancakes, the-the girls flipped their own." She smiled to herself which then resulted in her crying again, "And then… then we took them to the park in the afternoon." Jenna said.

"Was the park busy? Do you remember anyone approaching the girls at any point?" AJ asked.

"No… no." Jenna shook her head with frustration, "No one approached them. It was just a normal day. A normal Sunday." She cried as AJ nodded.

"Is that the only time you were out? For church and the park?" She asked.

"Yeah." Harry nodded on behalf of he and his wife, "Please. Please find them." He begged.

"Sir, I can assure you that I will do everything I can to bring them home to you. I just need to know what we're dealing with here." AJ said, "When you got home… did they go outside and play?"

"They were out in the back garden whilst we made dinner." Harry nodded, "They were building snowmen." He smiled to himself, "And then we shouted them in, they had their baths and they… they went to bed." He looked down and wiped his eyes.

"Ok." AJ nodded.

"Detective, do you… do you think someone is trying to hurt them?" Jenna asked as AJ sighed.

"I can't answer that." AJ said, "But I have every uniformed officer in the department out looking everywhere. We have a neighbour of yours who gave us information on cars that were parked in the street, and then were gone in the morning." AJ nodded, "We're piecing things together already and that's great news." She nodded to them, "Could you describe to me what sort of pyjamas the girls we wearing?" AJ asked, writing things down on her small notepad.

"Uh… Nicole had… she had pink and white spotty pyjamas on." Jeanna remembered, "Lucy had light blue, with an elephant on the t-shirt." She nodded, wiping her nose, "They'll be so cold out there." She cried as AJ sighed.

"Would you mind giving me a cuddly toy of some sort that belonged to them… for the K-9 unit." AJ said.

"I'll go fetch something." Harry nodded, getting up and leaving the living room to collect something that belonged to the girls.

"Detective, who do you think would have taken them?" Jenna asked, "Is it… is it someone we know? Is it someone who has… who has been planning this?" She cried.

"I'm not sure but… I'll get to the bottom of it." AJ nodded, "It's not likely that it's someone you know, although we'd like to know who the girls encounter with on a weekly basis." AJ said, "We're gonna consider places where they might be… the woods, houses that have been abandoned." AJ said as Jenna cried. AJ wished she could have tip toed around all of this for her but she had to tell her the truth, it was her job. She couldn't make false promises but she could try her hardest.

"Here are things you can use." Harry said, coming into the living room again with a teddy bear and a blanket, "The blanket is Nicole's. The teddy is Lucy's." He said whilst Punk walked back into the living room after him.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, taking the items from him and placing them in a bag to give to the K9 unit when they got back to the station, "We'll be in touch." AJ stood up.

"That's it?" Harry asked.

"We'll be back, we might also need you to do some interviews for us-"

"Interviews? Interviews for what?" Harry questioned.

"Just to rule out your names." AJ said.

"Oh, you think we took our own daughters? You think that?" Harry spat.

"No, we don't." Punk said, "But it means we can focus more on other things, other possibilities." Punk said, "We just need your cooperation. We're gonna do everything we can to find your girls and get them home safely. It's been approximately seven hours since they were taken, and there's not a good chance that whoever has them will be moving in daylight." Punk said, "We got uniformed officers everywhere. We're on top of this as much as we can be." He said as Harry just nodded.

"Please just… just bring them home." He sighed as Jenna sat with her hands in her face, "Please." He said with desperation as Punk and AJ looked at him.

"We'll see ourselves out." AJ nodded, "We'll be in touch." She said as her and Punk left the house, never being so thankful to feel the minus degrees air hit their face.

"This is a tough one." Punk sighed as they walked down the steps and to the car as AJ shook her head, getting into the car with him.

"Two little girls." AJ shook her head, "I'm not… I'm not finding two little girls… dead." AJ shook her head with fear, "I want us on every abandoned house in the neighbourhood. I want their house checked everywhere. I want Rocky to get a list of any convictions made in the neighbourhood, anyone on the sex offenders register nearby, I want them questioned." AJ said, "I want to see if we can find any CCTV cameras from the park yesterday when they were there, see who was around at the time."

"Ok, Ok." Punk nodded to her as she raced ahead of herself, "Ok, just take a deep breath." He told her, pulling away from the house to head back to the station.

A lot of perspective had changed for them both. As parents themselves, cases like this one, which was a first in a long time that they'd dealt with a child abduction, was hard enough to deal with anyone, but knowing they had a sweet baby girl at home, it was terrifying, and AJ felt even more stubborn and determined than before. She was finding these girls. Whatever it took.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! Lots to come.**


	54. Detectives Don't Sleep

**Detectives Don't Sleep**

* * *

"Rocky, did you get me that list of people on the sex offenders register within one hundred yards distance from the house?" AJ asked as her and punk returned to the station that day. There was a lot going on in the station to find the two girls who had been abducted from their own home. There was a lot of ground to cover, and being in charge of it, AJ already felt massive pressure, but it was pressure she thrived on.

"I got it here." Rocky nodded over to her.

The K9 unit had been given the teddy bear and blanket to use for the dogs on their journey out through the woods to sniff things out. It didn't help that the snow was thick and fluttering down constantly.

"I got divers in the lakes nearby." Punk said after coming off of the phone as AJ nodded. They had to think of the worst possibilities, even though they were trying to stay positive.

"Ok." AJ nodded as they walked into her office where she took the pictures of the two girls and stuck them up on her board, writing additional information beside their pictures like their names, ages, birthdays.

"Here's the list, Dez. Not many." Rocky said as he walked into the office and sat down the list, "I'm on the convictions right now."

"Great. Thanks Rocky." AJ nodded whilst Punk took a look at the list.

"You want me to go sniff around these addresses?" Punk questioned.

"Yeah, I'll come with you." AJ said, "Right now I wanna make sure all ground is being covered. I've got Seth looking into any sort of CCTV around the park they were at that day. There might be something we can pick up." She said as Punk nodded.

"What if this is someone who has planned this?" Punk asked her, "I mean he… he walked right into their house and lifted them from their beds. That's… That's scary." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I know, and there was no sign of breakage. He walked in there with a key." AJ nodded, "But there's no keys missing which probably means-"

"Whoever it is has taken the key, got another one cut, and then put it back, which means it could be someone close to home." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I want to go to the church they attend every Sunday. I want a list of names of the people who attend regularly and I wanna talk to the priest if he's saw any new faces recently." AJ said as Punk nodded, watching as she drew lines on the board with only notes she understood.

"Bet you're wishing you stayed at home." Punk laughed to himself.

"Someone needs to find these girls." AJ said, "Do you honestly think Kylie would have?" She asked, "This is… This is two little girls. A four-year-old and a six-year-old." She said, dropping the pen and turning back around to Punk, "No one gets away with this." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

"Where we going first, the church?" Punk asked as AJ picked her things back up as they left her office.

"Yeah." AJ nodded as Seth approached them.

"Alright, I'm onto the CCTV camera from a shop across from the park. I'm gonna speak to the owner just now and see if there's anything I can find." Seth said as AJ nodded, "Dean is out in the woods with the K9 unit, says there's been nothing so far, they've been out there since 8am." He said.

"Well they aren't just going to appear. What about old buildings? I don't reckon our suspect is moving in daylight with them. Whoever it is, is gonna be stuck at the one place right now." She said, "We're going to the church that the family attend every Sunday and then we've got a list of lovely sex offenders to visit and check out." AJ said, "Rocky has the convictions running just now."

"Ok, I'll send Eve out on it once he's got the next list." Seth said as they nodded, walking by as Punk and AJ left the station in their car.

* * *

"I normally only have my regulars every Sunday morning." The priest spoke officially with his hands clasped in front of him whilst AJ and Punk stood in front of him in his home behind the church.

"What about the Burns family? Did you ever notice anything strange about them?" AJ asked.

"No. Nothing." The priest shook his head, "They sit at the same bench every week. Those little girls are so well behaved." He shook his head, "I'm lighting a candle for them." He nodded as Punk rolled his eyes without anyone noticing.

"You mind if we take a look in your church?" Punk asked, "Tell us where the family sit?" He said as the priest nodded.

"Come with me." He said, leading him out of his house as they walked across to the church.

"I might burn alive in here." Punk whispered to AJ who shoved him a little as they walked into the church.

"They sit in this row." The priest showed them as he walked up the aisle and pointed to the row as AJ and Punk followed him.

"And you never saw any unfamiliar faces around them at all?" AJ questioned.

"I never noticed." The priest said, "I was speaking with God." He said as AJ and Punk looked at him.

"Well you noticing might be the choice between two little girls being found or two little girls being found dead." Punk said, "Forgive me, father, but we don't have time to waste." Punk said as the priest nodded calmly.

"There were no unfamiliar faces here." The priest said, "If there was I probably would have noticed." He said as AJ nodded.

"Ok." AJ said, "Ok, well if there's anything you remember or… something that comes to you then do call us." She said, handing him one of her cards that had the number to her office on it.

"I will." The priest nodded as AJ and Punk left the church and made their way out to their car.

"He was fucking useless." Punk shook his head, getting into the car.

"He didn't notice anything." AJ shrugged, "Not his fault." She said, putting her seat belt on as Punk started the engine, "Now we gotta go knock on some sex offender's houses and sniff around. They love that." AJ said as Punk pulled away from the church.

"You really think it's gonna be someone reoffending?" Punk asked her.

"Honestly, I don't know what to think. There are no leads anywhere. They just seem like a normal family who were going about their normal Sunday." AJ shook her head, "It's frightening." She said, "That there is someone out there with them."

"We'll find whoever it is." Punk said as AJ nodded, taking out her cell from her coat pocket which began to ring, "Who is it?" Punk asked.

"Seth." AJ said, answering the call, "Hey, Seth. What's up?" She said.

"April, I got something on the CCTV cameras from the shop across the road. You're gonna wanna check it out." Seth said as AJ sat up with hope.

"Yeah, what is it?" AJ asked as Punk glanced to her back and forth whilst keeping his eyes on the road.

"There's a guy just… standing behind the park fence. He's stood there for about… ten minutes and then he leaves in his car. Can't see his face but I can tell it's a guy." Seth said.

"Ok, Seth. We'll head to the station right now." AJ turned to Punk who nodded.

* * *

"You see him?" Seth said as they crowded round Rocky's computer, pointing out the man as AJ nodded.

"I see him." AJ said, watching the figure as it left from the park fence and got into his car, pausing the tape as she looked at the car, "Rock, you got the list of cars that were on the street where the girls live?" AJ turned to Rocky who nodded.

"Uh… yeah, should be here." Rocky said, scrambling through his work and handing over the list as AJ looked through it.

"Ok, we got a match." AJ nodded, "Ford Focus, Black. Was that car parked in the street last night and then gone in the morning?" AJ turned to Rocky.

"Yeah, the ones with stars next to them were there at night and gone in the morning." Rocky nodded.

"Has someone spoke to neighbours yet?" Punk asked.

"Yeah but nothing was off." Rocky said.

"He could have put the car there for his getaway, he doesn't have to be living nearby." AJ said, "Ok, I want eyes opened for any black Ford Focus' that are parked anywhere or out on the road." AJ nodded as Seth disappeared to go page that to all the uniformed officers that were out, "I still wanna go talk to the people on this list." AJ turned to Punk who nodded, "Anyone picks up on anything else then call us, ok?" AJ stood up as they all nodded.

"Hey, wait a minute." Rocky walked over to his desk, "I was looking up our old friends on the sex offenders register and this guy here." He pointed, "I viewed his recent transactions and he bought a few children's books." Rocky said, "Unless he got kids I don't know about, I'd go there first." Rocky said as AJ nodded hopefully.

"Thanks, Rock." AJ patted him on the shoulder as her and Punk quickly disappeared out of the station.

* * *

"Ok, keep it cool and calm." Punk told AJ as they walked up to the house where finally something promising was beyond them.

"I am calm." AJ said, breathing heavily.

"I'm serious." Punk said, "I know these are little girls, but keep your cool." He warned her, "Let me do the talking." He said as AJ just nodded, watching him knock on the door as they waited patiently, listening to footsteps behind the door, watching it open slowly.

"Sam?" Punk said as the man nodded, double blinking as he stared them out nervously, "Hey, Sam. We're not here to harass you." Punk smiled calmly, "We just wanna know if you knew anything about Nicole and Lucy Burns? They were abducted from their homes last night, we've been asking around to see if anyone had seen or heard anything." Punk played it cool as Sam looked at them both and gulped.

"N-No." Sam shook his head.

"No?" Punk said as Sam shook his head, "You uh… You still live here alone?" Punk asked as Sam nodded.

"Yes. Yes I do." Sam nodded.

"You still working?" Punk asked as Sam nodded.

"I… I need to go." Sam said, trying to shut the door as Punk placed his foot forward to stop the door from closing.

"We… We viewed your recent transactions, Sam." Punk said, "You bought some… kids books. Picture books and… drawing books." Punk said as Sam gulped and looked at them both.

"You got kids?" AJ asked bluntly as Sam turned to her.

"No." Sam shook his head, looking at them both wearily, suddenly slamming the door against Punk's foot as he tried to run off, but Punk immediately stormed inside and grabbed him, throwing him down and grabbing his cuffs as he immediately started to handcuff him whilst AJ quickly searched the house.

"Anything?!" Punk yelled to her.

"No!" AJ yelled back.

"I've not done anything." Sam begged.

"Shut up!" Punk yelled, picking him up, "Why were you buying children's books?" Punk spat, "Huh?" He said as Sam crippled away in fear.

"I-I like to colour in." Sam begged as Punk shook his head.

"Go on." Punk said, leading him out of the house and into their car as AJ came back downstairs and met Punk out by the car.

"There's nothing." AJ said, looking at Sam in the back of the car, "Take him in anyway. I'll question him tomorrow." AJ said.

"Maybe he's just… buying kids books." Punk shook his head, "Maybe he doesn't know anything."

"I know a guilty face when I see one." AJ nodded.

"He's messed up. He doesn't look like he knows anything." Punk said.

"Well he's all we've got right now. Questioning him won't hurt." AJ said, "We'll take him in and then we'll need to pick Nova up." AJ said as Punk nodded, getting into the car with AJ.

* * *

Once Punk and AJ had put Sam into custody for questioning in the morning, AJ rounded up all the cops in the station who were working on piecing things together, she let them know what to do, to keep searching and that unfortunately, the day hadn't worked in their favour, and that two little girls were still missing, and their kidnapper would probably move through the night. She still wanted checks on the black Ford Focus and where that was, and she still wanted every uniformed cop out there searching.

They headed to Dan's after leaving the station. AJ had left with all her folders and work. She knew she wouldn't sleep tonight.

"How was she?" Punk asked his father, taking Nova from him who was fast asleep.

"She was an angel." Dan smiled, "It's a pleasure to take care of her. It's not like I have much to do with my time." He said whilst Punk strapped Nova into her carrier, pulling down her little hat to make sure it covered her ears. It was freezing and snowing outside and AJ made sure their baby was dressed appropriately.

"Well we appreciate the help, dad." Punk nodded, "Really." He said.

"It's no problem." Dan waved his hand, "Good first day back?" He turned to AJ who was in a trance, shaking her head.

"Not quite." AJ pushed a smile.

"I heard on the news about those little girls." Dan nodded, "Dreadful. Completely dreadful that there are people like that out there." He said as AJ nodded.

"I'm gonna find them." AJ nodded as Dan smiled.

"Both of you take it easy." Dan nodded, "Same time again tomorrow?" He asked them.

"Yeah, if that's ok?" Punk asked as Dan nodded.

"It's no problem at all." Dan smiled, "Make sure you keep her wrapped up. It's getting cold out there." He said as Punk tucked Nova's blanket around her and lifted her carrier.

"Yeah, it's getting pretty cold." Punk nodded, "We better get going." He said as Dan nodded, "We'll see you tomorrow." He said as Dan nodded, walking them out.

"Thanks again, Dan." AJ nodded as Dan smiled.

"Anything for my granddaughter." Dan said as AJ smiled, leaving the house and getting into the car with Punk and the baby as they drove home in the snow.

* * *

When they got home, Nova was fed by AJ whilst Punk made dinner. AJ was happy with how quickly she managed to multitask feeding her daughter and looking through different things regarding work and the missing girls' case.

After such a hard day, it felt so wonderful to hold her baby girl. To know she was safe and in her arms meant the world and having her fall asleep tucked into her after her bottle was heavenly.

"I'm gonna put her down." AJ said as Punk nodded whilst keeping an eye on their dinner.

She walked off to the nursery and placed Nova down in her crib, looking over her as she slept ever so peacefully. She didn't know what she'd do if anyone had their hands on her baby girl. She couldn't imagine how those girls' parents were feeling, and the urge to find Nicole and Lucy was so strong, even stronger than what it'd be if she didn't have Nova. As a parent, she finally understood how precious a child was, and to have two taken from their beds through the night, just like that, was every parents worse nightmare, and AJ wasn't giving up on finding them.

"Momma and dadda love you." AJ whispered, brushing her finger softly over her daughter's cheek before leaving the nursery and walking back to the kitchen table where Ace was lying under.

"She down?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, she's out like a light." AJ smiled, taking a seat at the table.

They had dinner and talked about the case. Maybe most people would think that was unhealthy, to spend the full day at work and then come home and talk about more work, but it was a big case and they both had to have their brains switched on at all times.

* * *

They finally went to bed and Punk woke up through the night to the space beside him empty.

He stood up and walked out of their room, looking over at AJ sitting at the kitchen table with the kitchen light on, papers all over the desk, her laptop running in front of her as she scribbled things down. It was 3am.

"Ape." Punk whispered, screwing his eyes up as he came into the light.

"It's ok, baby. Go back to sleep." AJ insisted.

"April, it's 3am. You gotta sleep." Punk said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Detectives don't sleep." AJ answered him.

"Yeah, but mother's to five month old baby's do." Punk nodded, "C'mon, you need your rest for tomorrow."

"I need to think." AJ said, "If Sam knows something then maybe he's working with the suspect?" AJ said, "If we find the Ford Focus maybe we'll find prints on it." AJ said.

"Someone will turn up, but you gotta sleep, April." Punk said, "Please come back to bed."

"I will soon." AJ promised him, "I just… I just gotta look at some things." She said as Punk watched her. He couldn't force her, but he wasn't ok with her not sleeping, especially when she had been back at work for one day.

"Please just… get some rest when you're done." He begged.

"I will." AJ nodded as Punk sighed, walking off back to their bedroom, turning back around as he saw her scribble things down and search things up on her laptop.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	55. God

**God**

* * *

"You understand this is being recorded for evidence?" AJ asked the next morning as she sat in front of Sam in an interview room, watching as the man looked around nervously.

"I-I didn't do anything." Sam said as AJ looked across at him. It was clear he wasn't all right in the head, but she didn't believe anyone really was.

"Why'd you try to run?" AJ asked as Sam gulped.

"I-I was scared of you." Sam said as AJ sighed.

"And what about the children's books? Why were you buying children's books when you have no children?" She asked.

"I like… I like the pictures and… and drawing in them." He defended as AJ folded her arms and sat back.

"You know absolutely nothing about Nicole and Lucy Burns being abducted from their home?" AJ asked, "Not even the smallest of information?"

"No." Sam whispered, "I just… I just want to go home." He said as AJ ran her hands through her hair.

"I got people looking in your house just now. Once you're cleared, you can go." AJ stood up and left the room, walking back through the station and into her office, adding more things to her board as Punk walked in.

"Anything?" Punk asked.

"Nothing." AJ shook her head, "It's just a coincidence that Sam here is off buying children's books for himself when two little girls go missing close to him." AJ shook her head, "Once his house has been looked at he can go." AJ said.

"We've still got nothing on the Ford Focus. Divers haven't found anything and the K9 unit hasn't come across any scent yet." Punk said as AJ sighed, throwing her board pen down and placing her hands in her hair.

"So in other words we have nothing?" AJ questioned as Punk nodded, "He probably fled through the night unless they're being held somewhere." AJ said as Rocky walked into the office.

"That black Ford Focus has been spotted abandoned by the woods beside the girl's house." Rocky announced as AJ picked her gun up, "No one is there but we might get prints on the car." He said hopefully as Punk turned to AJ who nodded.

* * *

"It obviously came here last night." AJ said, wearing gloves as she looked at the same car after arriving at the scene with Punk.

"Maybe not." One of the officers said, "This is the first time we've looked at this part of the woods." He said as AJ nodded, looking in the back seat of the car as she sighed, picking up a pink sock as she turned to Punk who placed his hands on his hips and shook his head.

"They were in here." AJ nodded, "Call the parents we'll need them to identify the sock." AJ said as Punk nodded, "I want this car tested for prints asap." AJ turned to the other officers with them, taking off her gloves as her and Punk got back into their car to head back to the station.

* * *

"We're sorry you have to do this." AJ said, sitting in a room with Harry and Jenna alongside Punk, "But… we need you to confirm if this was the sock one of your daughters were wearing." AJ said. The parents looked even worse if that was possible, both were pale white like ghosts, probably not eating or sleeping.

"Ok." Harry nodded, placing his arm around his wife who was already sobbing.

AJ lifted the picture that had been taken of the sock, sliding it over to them as Jenna began crying loudly, turning away from the picture as AJ and Punk looked down.

"Yes." Harry bit his lip to keep his cool, "Yes, that's Nicole's." He nodded.

"Ok." AJ whispered, taking the picture back and passing it to Punk who put it back in the folder, "We're having the car run for prints. This is a big break through. If we get prints on the car, we find who we're looking for, ok?" She said, "We're still on top of this, I promise." She nodded.

"Just bring them back." Jenna cried hysterically as AJ nodded.

"We'll give you a minute. You can… leave in your own time." AJ said as her and Punk left the room, taking a deep breath as AJ sighed to herself.

"You ok?" Punk asked her. He could see things were bothering her that little bit more, he didn't know if it was because it was such a fragile case, or if it was because they had their own daughter now.

"Yeah, I… I think I wanna go see Nova." AJ turned to him, "Time the prints come back it'll be later anyway." AJ said as he nodded.

"Ok, well I'll stay here and keep things cool. You take a break. You look tired." He noticed as she nodded, "That's what no sleeping does to you." He said.

"I just wanna see my baby." AJ whispered truthfully as Punk nodded, pulling her into a warm hug.

"She'll be just fine." Punk promised, "I won't be home long after you." He told her as she nodded.

"Ok." AJ said, looking up at him, leaning up and pressing a kiss against his lips. She was tired and she wanted to hold her baby girl in her arms. It was just an awful case, whether she had a child or not, but even more so that she had a baby girl, and having her taken from her would be the worst thing to ever happen to her. It was hard going, and she was exhausted.

* * *

AJ left the station to go pick up Nova whilst Punk stayed behind and kept on top of things. Just because AJ had gone home didn't mean the search stopped, everyone kept at their jobs and kept on top of looking.

"Where is April?" Marie, the receptionist asked Punk who was standing talking to Rocky.

"She's gone home, what's up?" Punk asked as Marie handed him the envelope.

"Prints from the car." She said as Punk nodded, watching her walk away as he opened up the envelope with Rocky beside him.

"Fuck no." Punk spat as he looked at whose prints were all over the car, slamming the papers down as he walked off to the remand wing, "Get him in a room." He told a guard whilst pointing to Sam, "Get him in this room with me right now." Punk demanded as he walked into the empty room with just a table and chair in it, watching as Sam was pulled into the room by the guard.

"I didn't… I didn't do anything." Sam begged.

"Your prints are all over the car." Punk spat, "You were watching them at the park?" Punk asked as Sam looked up at him, "Where are they? Where have you put them?" Punk spat in disgust as Sam shook his head.

"I didn't-"

"You did!" Punk banged his hand off the desk as Sam jumped, "You took them in that car. You took them from their beds. One of the girl's socks is in the car. You can't lie to me." Punk spat, looking into his eyes fiercely, "Where are they?" Punk spat.

"I-I don't know." Sam moaned.

"You do!" Punk yelled, reaching over and grabbing Sam by the shirt, "Tell me right now where they are. Just tell me, Sam. C'mon." Punk spat as Sam looked up at him in fear as a guard came into the room.

"Phil, c'mon calm down." The guard said.

"Shut up and get out!" Punk warned the guard who walked back out of the room, "Sam, please don't make me hurt you." Punk said, "Where are those girls?" Punk spat.

"I-I done it for God." Sam cried, "Please."

"Where are they?!" Punk yelled as Sam shook his head. Punk smacked his head off the desk as two guards came in.

"Alright, Phil calm down." The guard said, "Go cool off."

"I done it for God." Sam repeated as Punk was pushed out of the room.

"He fucking knows." Punk swallowed the lump in his throat, his hands shaking, "He fucking knows where they are."

"You need to calm down." One of the guards said as Punk walked off angrily and into AJ's office, looking over at the board at what she'd wrote, scanning his eyes through the pictures and the details as his eyes landed on 'church'

"God." Punk whispered to himself, his eyes widening as he quickly realised, rushing out of the office, grabbing his gun from his desk as he quickly left the station.

* * *

He arrived at the church pretty quickly and walked around the perimeter of the priest's house, finding a crack in one of the windows as he opened it up and climbed in quietly, walking out of the room he was in, keeping his gun raised as he walked across the hall, hearing a squeaking noise go back and forth.

He walked along to the sound of the noise, pausing outside the door where the noise was coming from, pushing it open as he kept his gun raised, looking on at the priest sitting on a chair rocking back and forth whilst the two girls were in the bed beside him asleep.

"Stand up." Punk said calmly, looking at the priest, "Stand up and put your hands on your head." Punk spat.

"They are God's children now." The priest nodded.

"Stand up!" Punk yelled as the priest stood up slowly from the rocking chair, "Hands on your head." Punk nodded, watching as the priest looked across at him.

"We can all be saved." The priest nodded as Punk kept his gun pointed at him, watching suddenly as the priest reached for his own gun in his back pocket. Punk didn't hold back, pulling the trigger as he shot the priest down, immediately turning to the girls in the bed as he walked over to them, taking their pulses, which was faint, suddenly noticing the jars of poison with syringes on the bedside table.

"Fuck." Punk shook his head, lifting them both up and rushing down the stairs quickly, running out of the house with them, putting them in his back seat of the car and rushing round to get in when a loud gun shot was fired, hitting him on the shoulder as he collapsed against the car, looking around as he saw a figure running off through the cemetery.

He winced in pain, holding his gushing arm as he got into the car, turning the engine on and hitting the gas as hard as he could.

He passed out a few times whilst driving for a few seconds as he drove to the hospital, his arm going numb as he felt the blood soaking through his shirt, but it didn't slow him down. He broke every red light, skidded round corners and finally arrived at the hospital.

He got out of the car lifting the girls up, "Stay with me. C'mon, stay with me." Punk whispered, unbalanced as he walked into the hospital, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, "I need some help!" Punk yelled as he held the girls, "I need some help, c'mon!" He shouted as people rushed towards him, taking the girls from him as he explained what had happened before collapsing and passing out himself.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! Who shot him?**


	56. Hero

**Hero**

* * *

"Tough day at the office?" Dan asked, handing AJ a cup of coffee as she nodded. She planned to just pick up Nova and head home, but Dan had offered a cup of coffee and told her to wait off for the snow to stop.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, looking over at Nova in her swing chair, "Two little girls are out there… freezing, terrified." AJ said, "I'd go out of my mind if Nova had been taken." She said as Dan sighed, "After forty-eight hours we… we start looking for bodies." AJ nodded, "So I don't know, I guess I feel like a bit of a failure. Maybe all the time off I took changed me." She said.

"Don't be silly." Dan shook his head, "You weren't off for that long. You're a mother now, you're gonna find cases like this a little bit harder because you know what it feels like to have a child and love her." He said, "I don't believe for a minute that you're rusty. Think of all the leads you've gotten in just two days." He said as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ said, "I am trying to stay positive." She nodded, "I can barely sleep at night thinking about it. And then that makes Phil worried for my health." She said as Dan nodded.

"You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders." Dan shook his head, "You're doing all you can. You can click your fingers and magically know where those little girls are." He said, "Things will show up. These people always get caught out."

"I hope so." AJ nodded, looking across at Nova who was awake but silently sitting on her little swing chair, looking around quite contentedly, "How was she today?" AJ smiled.

"She was great. She's such a good baby. Compared to Phil and Mike when they were babies anyway." Dan nodded, "She's a little angel." He smiled down to her.

"And how are you feeling? Are you ok?" AJ asked him.

"I've never felt as close to my son as what I do right now. Maybe we were never close, but he never done me wrong." Dan said, "And I want to be there for him, and my granddaughter. If you'll all let me." He nodded.

"I think Nova enjoys being here. She's probably sick of me and Phil. Likes the change of scenery." AJ smiled to herself, "You'd let us know if you were busy or you had other things to do, right?"

"I would." Dan nodded, "But she makes me smile. I enjoy looking after her." Dan said as AJ smiled, suddenly hearing her phone ring in her coat pocket beside her.

She sat her mug of coffee down and took her phone out noticing it was Dean who was calling. She answered it quickly.

"Hey." AJ said.

"Hey, April you should get down to the hospital. Phil got the girls but he got shot. He's ok but he's asking for you." Dean said.

"What?" AJ stood up, feeling her stomach tighten, "Is he ok? Is he hurt?" AJ asked as Dan looked up with worry, putting her coat on quickly.

"No, he's ok. Just get to the hospital, yeah?" He said.

"Ok, I'll be there as quick as I can." AJ said, hanging up and putting her phone back in her pocket.

"What's going on?" Dan stood up.

"Phil… he uh… he's been shot." AJ shook her head, "He's ok apparently. He… He got the girls." AJ nodded with a small smile, "But he got shot." She reminded herself, "Could you keep her here?" She asked.

"Of course. She's fine here." Dan nodded down to Nova, "Please call me and let me know if he's ok." Dan said desperately.

"I will." AJ nodded, rushing out of the house in the snow as she ran to her car.

* * *

AJ got to the hospital quickly, rushing in and being led to Punk's room. He wasn't in bed, he was sitting up on the edge of the bed, his pants still on with his shirt off, a huge bandage wrapped around him and over his shoulder.

"Phil." AJ gasped, rushing into the room, walking towards him and cupping his cheeks desperately, "What happened?" She asked, looking at his shoulder, "Are you ok?" She asked worriedly.

"It was just a scuff." Punk nodded as she kissed his forehead, "I couldn't see who it was. They ran off and I… I had to get the girls here, they still won't tell me if they're ok or not." He shook his head.

"How did you… How did you find them?" AJ asked.

"Sam's prints showed up on the car. I managed to figure out it was the priest from what Sam was saying." Punk shook his head tiredly.

"The priest?" AJ shook her head as Punk nodded.

"I never got the chance to ask him why he'd taken them because I had to… I had to shoot him. He was armed." Punk said, "My guess is that… Sam done the dirty work, he was obviously manipulated by the priest, watched them at the park, parked the car in the street for a getaway and then took them to the priest and dumped the car." Punk said.

"But how did he have a key?" AJ asked.

"Well, that's for him to tell us." Punk said, "He's still in custody."

"Are you ok?" AJ sighed, looking at him as he nodded tiredly, "Who would have taken a shot at you?" AJ asked.

"I don't know, maybe there's a third person involved." Punk shook his head, "I just hope I got the girls here in time. He had been injected them with stuff." Punk said as AJ sighed.

"Are you staying here over night?" AJ asked him.

"No, I want to go home." Punk shook his head, "It was just a scuff. It'll heal." Punk said as AJ nodded. She was so glad he was ok, but so proud of him for piecing things together and rescuing the girls. She felt blessed to have him as her daughter's father, and also so thankful that the girls were in safe care now.

AJ began kissing Punk as he wrapped his arms around her waist slowly, minding his sore shoulder, thankful that he had her here with him, thankful they had wrapped up this ugly case, at least the major part of it.

They broke away when there was a knock at the door, both of them turning around as Jenna and Harry stood with Nicole standing by their side, and Lucy sitting on the wheelchair in front of her.

"They wanted to meet their hero." Jenna smiled as Punk laughed lightly, "They're gonna be a little drowsy for the time being, but apart from that they're gonna be… they're gonna be just fine." She said with a sigh of relief. So much relief.

"I'm glad." Punk nodded, looking at the little girls. They did look drowsy, but they were ok, and that was a good feeling from where Punk and AJ stood.

"I'm gonna take them back to their room." Jenna announced as Punk nodded, waving to the girls as they waved back, causing AJ to smile whilst Harry stood, walking further into the room.

"I can't begin to thank you enough." Harry said, "You saved my daughter's. I can't… explain how thankful I am to you." He nodded to Punk, "To both of you." He said.

"Just doing our job." AJ smiled.

"Thank you." Harry nodded, extending his hand as Punk shook it, AJ doing the same, "Thank you so much." He said, walking out of the room as Punk turned back to AJ who smiled.

"I'm so proud of you." AJ nodded.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Punk said, "I'm just glad they're ok. I had… I had scary thoughts of what that priest had done to them. I've been sitting here all night just waiting for someone to tell me they were ok."

"You got to them in time." AJ nodded, cupping his cheeks, "You saved them." She said as Punk smiled modestly.

"I just felt… I don't know, I felt like this case hit home." He admitted, "It was your first case back and having it so relevant to us… I just kept thinking about how… it could have been anyone's daughter, our daughter." He said, "I wasn't giving up on it."

"Nova is so lucky to have you." AJ nodded.

"Me? You're the criminal mastermind." He said as AJ chuckled, watching him laugh and wince a little.

"Hey, are you sure you're ok to go home?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, I wanna see my daughter." Punk said, standing up slowly and taking his bloody shirt from the bottom of the bed, "I wanna see my daughter and hug her." He said as AJ smiled.

* * *

They left the hospital and headed to Dan's to pick Nova up. Dan spoke to his son and made sure he was ok before letting them go home for some well needed rest. The case might not have been closed, but the girls were safe, and that meant AJ and Punk could maybe get a good sleep tonight, although it was bothering AJ on who shot her boyfriend.

"I think I might just let her sleep on my chest all night." Punk admitted, laying in their bed with Nova asleep on his chest which was bandaged up around his tender shoulder.

"You'll squash her." AJ laughed lightly, stripping her clothes off as Punk watched her dreamily, watching her put one of his t-shirts on, leaving her bottom half in just her panties as she got into bed beside him, smiling at their baby girl fast asleep.

"It's weird how something so small can be your entire world." Punk admitted.

"Yeah, and it's weird how there are people out there who would wanna hurt children and babies." AJ shook her head, stroking her daughter's cheek softly, "I swear if anyone ever lays a hand on her." She shook her head.

"Not gonna happen." Punk said with confidence, turning to her as she smiled, "Still got a lot to do tomorrow." He said as AJ nodded.

"Talk to Sam. Look at the priest's house. Figure out who shot you." She said worriedly as Punk saw the look on her face.

"Are you worried?" He asked.

"Well obviously." AJ said, "What if they got you in the right place? I could have… I could have lost you." She said in a daze.

"Well you didn't." Punk said, "Maybe it's someone else who is involved, or maybe it's just a thug who has a thing against cops." Punk shrugged, "We'll get to the bottom of it." He said, "Please don't worry." He asked.

"I thought I was losing it tonight." AJ admitted to him, "When I went to pick Nova up I just… I felt so constricted. Seeing those parents lose it when they had to identify the sock just… finished me." She said, "I could never imagine being in their shoes." She said with worry, taking hold of Nova's hand softly.

"We'll never be in their place." Punk said, "It's ok for you to feel more sensitive now. It's not just us two anymore, I feel the same sort of pressure you're feeling." He nodded, "How are you feeling? Mentally?" He asked her.

"Not so good." AJ admitted to him as he nodded. She was feeling like she was having a little bit of an off day that would probably end up coursing through into a depressive cycle for the week, "I already know that I don't wanna get out of bed. I just wanna stay here with you and Nova." She said.

"When was the last time you saw the doctor?" Punk asked her.

"Last week." AJ said, "She said that I might feel like this getting back into work, and obviously with this type of case it wasn't all fun and games." AJ said.

"You don't feel like you've jumped back into work too soon, do you?" He asked her.

"No, I really don't." AJ said honestly, "I just think this case has taken it out of me." She admitted.

"Nice way to welcome you back, huh?" Punk smiled as she sighed and smiled.

"Yeah, typical I guess." AJ nodded, "I'll be ok." She smiled. He was great at understanding her mood swings and her symptoms. They'd been living together for so long, but even before when they were just friends, he knew how to recognise the signs and deal with it.

"Well I'm here if you need me." Punk nodded to her, "And it you need a day to… recharge, then let me know." He said as she smiled.

"I should be the one taking care of you." AJ said, "How does it feel?" She asked him, looking at his shoulder.

"It's not too bad. I've felt worse." Punk sad, "But driving with it through the pelting snow wasn't all that fun." He admitted as she frowned.

"Poor baby." AJ said, brushing her hand over his forehead as he smiled, "You should go put her down." She nodded to him.

"If you insist." Punk said, not wanting to part from his daughter just yet as AJ just smiled.

Punk got up from bed slowly, being cautious of his shoulder now, and took Nova into her nursery, placing her down in her crib as he looked down at her. She gave him a reason to fight even harder for victims and solving cases. Especially the one they had just pieced together. She was their motivation, and she gave them a reason to come home at night safe and in one piece.

"Goodnight, baby." Punk whispered, leaving the room and closing the door over a little as Ace trotted over and lay down at the nursery door like he done every night, "Goodnight, boy." Punk patted Ace on the head as he walked into his own bedroom and closed the door, getting back into bed with his girlfriend as she curled up to him.

"I love you." She said, "Don't you ever leave me." She said. She'd gotten a fright today when she heard he had been shot. She couldn't ever lose him. He was her soulmate. Her baby daddy. Her best friend. _Her_ hero. And she couldn't be more thankful to have someone so courageous and brave in her life.

"I'm not going anywhere." Punk told her, kissing her head softly, shutting his eyes over as they settled down for the night, the apartment peaceful and quiet where their small family were safe.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	57. Spooked

**Spooked**

* * *

The next few days were spent clearing up the case of the abducted girls who were making full recovery. AJ and Punk got Sam to talk, who had been manipulated (being not the sharpest tool in the shed) by the priest who convinced him that it would clear all of his sins that he'd ever made. He had taken the girls from their beds and gave them to the priest. They key had been stolen by the priest during a church ceremony, he had cut another one and placed it back with the family without them noticing, and passed it along to Sam to do the dirty work.

They'd never know what the priest wanted with the girls, and in all honestly, no one wanted to know, Punk got to them in time before any serious damage was done. But the question that was still left unanswered, was who shot him when he was getting in his car? They wanted to focus on it and try and figure it out but with so little evidence and leads to go on, it seemed like a waste of time, although there had been a search around the priest's house and church, as well as the cemetery where Punk had watched the shooter run off to once shooting him.

AJ was moving onto other cases with Punk helping her, taking it easy on his shoulder of course.

"Was he armed?" Punk questioned leaning over AJ's desk in conversation about another case whilst AJ flicked through folders, listening to a knock on the door as they both turned their heads.

"Knock knock." Rocky said, "You got visitors." He said, opening the door wider as Nicole and Lucy walked through the door, Jenna following them as Rocky walked off back to his desk.

"Hey." Punk smiled, "Hi girls." He waved as they smiled up at him. On more than one occasion they had told their mother he was very handsome.

"They're going back to school today." Jenna announced, "But they wanted to stop by here first to give you both something." She said as Punk and AJ smiled.

"I made this for you." Nicole said, passing over a form of friendship bracelet to Punk who smiled and took it from her gently.

"You made this yourself?" Punk smiled to her as she nodded proudly.

"I have one too." She announced, showing him as he nodded.

"I see you made mine blue and green." Punk said, "What if I wanted a pink one?" He said playfully.

"I can make you a pink one too." Nicole shrugged as Punk laughed.

"I like this one." Punk nodded, sliding the plastic type bracelet onto his wrist, "Blue goes with my persona." He winked to her as she smiled.

"I made this for you." Lucy, the younger one announced, handing AJ over a drawing as AJ smiled, taking it from her as she looked at the drawing.

"Sweetheart, this is amazing." AJ smiled, "Is this one of the police dogs?" She asked, looking at the drawn picture of the dog which she could see had a police vest on which made her smile.

"They got to meet the K9 unit." Jenna explained as AJ smiled.

"You know, we have one of them at home." AJ said.

"Do you really?" Lucy asked, walking back over to her mother, both of the girls having their bookbags on, ready for school.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "He's called Ace." AJ smiled, looking back at the picture and smiling, "I'm gonna stick this up right behind me here." AJ turned around on her chair, grabbing some sticky tape and putting the picture up behind her desk beside the white board, "There." AJ smiled proudly, turning back around to them.

"You guys off to school?" Punk asked as they both nodded.

"Yeah, we should really get going, girls." Jenna nodded, "They just wanted to stop by and see you both before we left." She said as AJ and Punk smiled.

"Well make it a great day." AJ said.

"Yeah, be good." Punk nodded, "Learn lots." He said as they nodded.

"Thank you." Jenna nodded to them both, "Ok, c'mon girls." She said as they waved goodbye and left the office as AJ and Punk smiled.

"Uh, they are the sweetest." AJ placed her hand on her heart as Punk nodded with a smile. It was the greatest feeling to know he'd saved such innocent, sweet, brave little girls.

"They really are." Punk agreed, "I'm glad they're getting a bit of normality back." He said, taking a seat on AJ's desk as she nodded.

"Yeah, me too." AJ nodded, "I have a doctor's appointment today after work, I can't remember if I mentioned." AJ said, "So if you don't mind picking Nova up at your dad's, and I'll get you back at the house?" She asked.

"No problem." Punk nodded, "You still feeling off?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Could barely get out of bed this morning." AJ sighed.

It did hurt Punk sometimes that she felt the way she did, but he knew it wasn't because she was unhappy with her life or unhappy with him, which some people might have thought, but he knew her illness and he knew it made her feel unhappy or overly happy. He just done everything he could to make it a little easier on her and make sure she didn't feel alone.

"You're still worrying about who shot me?" Punk asked.

"It's hard not to, Phil." AJ admitted, "I mean… why would someone just randomly shoot you? Unless they had something to do with the girl's abduction which seems unlikely at this point since we've talked to Sam and figured out our story… it seems like someone was out there to shoot you for the sake of shooting you." She said, "Why wouldn't I be worried?" She asked him.

"Ok, so it's a little off." Punk nodded, "I agree with you. But do you have any idea how many people in this state hate cops because they think we stick our noses where it doesn't belong, or we don't do our jobs properly?" He said.

"I highly doubt someone was waiting for a cop to show up outside a church. They obviously followed you there. They obviously wanted to shoot _you._ Not just some cop. Any cop." AJ said.

"Look, we got more important things to put our minds on now. We got nothing to go on with the shooting." He said as she nodded.

"I know that but I just can't shift it from my mind." AJ said, "You wouldn't either if roles were reversed." She said as he nodded. He knew he would feel the same way she was feeling if it was AJ who had been shot.

"I don't know what to tell you other than… we just gotta move on, focus on the new cases." He said, "You had a… a tough comeback but now things are settling back down. Forget about the shooting. Maybe it was just some… kid." Punk shook his head.

"I don't know." AJ sighed, sitting back on her chair.

"C'mon." Punk said, "Let's look into this robbery." He pointed to the folders on her desk as she nodded.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Nancy, AJ's doctor asked as AJ nodded slowly.

"I'm ok." AJ said, "I guess I just… I keep replaying everything in my head, what happened, and I used to be so… so independent. I could always count on myself and only myself." AJ said, "But now I just…" She shook her head.

"What?" Nancy asked, "You're depending on other people now?" She asked.

"Getting that phone call. Telling me that Phil had been shot. I just… I felt like everything had just gone dark." AJ admitted, "And I realised how much I really depend on him. How much I need him." She nodded, fidgeting with her hands, sitting on the sofa across from Nancy.

"April, it's ok to love someone and be… be scared of losing them." Nancy nodded, "It's not a crime to accept people into your life like that. You've-You've been dating for two years, you have a baby with him, it's ok to let him in." She nodded.

"Letting him in means being scared of losing him." AJ said, "And that feeling was just… unbearable." AJ shook her head.

"It doesn't mean you can't count on yourself." Nancy said, "Just because you love him and care for him, doesn't mean you're weak." She said, "Is that what you think?" She asked her as AJ stayed silent, "April, you're probably one of the strongest woman I know. No… In fact, you are the strongest woman I know." She said, "You… You stopped an on-going serial killer for crying out loud." She shook her head.

"That's a different type of fear. I'm not afraid to lose myself." AJ said.

"You're afraid to lose others? Others who you love?" Nancy asked as AJ nodded.

"And there aren't many people I love." AJ said, "So it's… it's even scarier." She admitted.

"Do you think this stemmed from your sister's death?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "She was all I had and she was taken away from me. Now… Now Phil is all I have and… and I don't want him to be taken away from me." She shook her head.

"Haven't you saw him hurt before?" Nancy questioned curiously.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"So what's the difference now?" Nancy questioned.

"The difference is a five-month-old baby and way… way more feelings involved." AJ nodded, "He's not just my best friend anymore." She said.

"Did you feel this way when you were with Jacob?" Nancy asked.

"I didn't love Jacob the way I love Phil." AJ said, "In fact, I don't think I loved Jacob. I think I loved the idea of him. The idea of not being totally alone." She shrugged.

"But Phil is different?" Nancy asked.

"So different." AJ almost laughed.

"And do you think that when you think about him getting hurt or… losing him, do you think that triggers your depressive cycles?" She asked.

"Well it did this week." AJ nodded, "That, mixed in with returning to work and having to figure out a child abduction case." AJ said, "It's not been a very good week."

"How are you coping at work?" Nancy asked.

"I'm ok at work." AJ nodded, "It's not messing with me and I feel like I'm healthy there, but… I do miss Nova." She said, "During that case I just wanted to be with her and hold her in my arms. Make sure no one touched her." She smiled to herself.

"Are you scared someone will harm her because of your job?" Nancy asked.

"No because I know Phil would never let that happen. I would never let that happen." AJ said, "But that case put it into perspective for me that there are some… horrid people out there. Evil." AJ said, "And most of them are dressed like daydreams. Dressed like help. Like good people." AJ shook her head, "The person who shot my boyfriend is still out there." AJ said, "And that… kills me inside."

"Does Phil know that?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, he knows." AJ nodded, "He can tell without even asking me." AJ smiled to herself, "But yeah, he knows I'm worried."

"Are you looking into it?" Nancy asked.

"There's nothing to look into." AJ said, "I think that's what's got me so worried. I'm supposed to just carry on with other cases." She said.

"But you're stubborn?" Nancy said.

"Am I?" AJ laughed, "Am I stubborn? Or do I just want to protect the people I love?" She said as Nancy took her glasses off, "Maybe my stubbornness has saved a ton of lives over the past 11 years that I've been on the force." She said, "Being stubborn isn't a bad thing."

"Maybe you're right." Nancy nodded, looking across at AJ, "Does Phil know how you feel about… losing him? How you're still scared to really let him in because of it?" She asked.

"I don't think he knows about it to an extent, but he knows there's still a barrier with me that he needs to breakdown." AJ nodded, being sure of it.

"What about marriage for you two?" Nancy asked as AJ gulped.

"Marriage?" AJ asked as Nancy nodded, "That's a scary thought."

"It shouldn't be." Nancy said, "Why does it scare you? I would think that having a child with him is way scarier than getting married."

"I don't know." AJ shook her head, "It's just back to… fully letting him in. Being scared of losing him. Fully depending on him instead of myself."

"April, you can love him and marry him, and still depend on yourself." Nancy nodded, "And you don't have to be so afraid of losing him. No one would be in a relationship if we were all scared of losing the one we love." She said as AJ sighed.

"I don't know." AJ said, "It's just how my brain works I guess." She said as Nancy watched her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Punk was climbing the stairs to their apartment, holding Nova in her carrier after getting back from picking her up from his dad's. He opened up the apartment door, pausing when he noticed it was already unlocked, walking on in anyway and shutting the door over as Ace greeted him more hyper than usual.

"Alright, alright." Punk nodded, walking over to the sitting area and sitting Nova down in her carrier on the couch whilst Ace tapped danced at his feet, going around in circles with agitation as Punk shook his head, "What is wrong with you?" Punk shook his head tiredly, taking a sleeping Nova from her carrier and walking across to her nursery to put her down in her crib whilst Ace followed after him.

Punk smiled as he looked over Nova fast asleep, her little hands up above her head as her chest rose and fell softly. She was the best thing in his life next to April. He felt incredibly lucky.

He left the nursery, walking out and shutting the door over as Ace continued to circle around him.

"What is it? Huh?" Punk asked as the dog barked, jumping up where Punk's gun was strapped onto the side of him, "What?" Punk shook his head as Ace continued to jump up and nudge the gun, "Why are you heat butting my gun?" Punk moaned tiredly.

"Smart dog."

Punk paused and looked up whilst Ace stood round in front of him. Punk looked on as the man walked out of his bedroom.

"Garry the janitor put up quite the fight downstairs." The man chuckled, "But I got the key from him." He said as Punk reached for his gun when he saw the man take out his own and raise it at him, "Don't try it." He warned as Punk looked at his face.

"I-I know you." Punk shook his head, "I know your face."

"Good. I'm glad you recognise me. This will make it a whole lot more fun on my end."

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! Who is it? More coming soon.**


	58. Guilt Is Enough

**Guilt Is Enough**

* * *

"Where do I know you from?" Punk questioned, looking across at the man as he thankfully lowered his gun.

"Let me rejog your memory." The man smiled, "Six years ago on a Saturday night, I was out with my friends. I was in the prime of my life. I had a promising life ahead of me. I was going to play college football. I was gonna get out of my neighbourhood, my circle of poverty, and I was gonna make money and enjoy my life." He said, "And then… someone shoots me." He laughed as Punk suddenly realised who the man was. He only didn't recognise him completely because the last time he saw him, he was just a boy, "Not just anyone shoots me, though. A cop shoots me. The good guys." He smiled.

"Tony?" Punk nodded.

"You're remembering." Tony smiled, "You ruined my life and I swore that from that day on, I would get you one day. I would find you at one of your most heated times and I would do what you done to me."

"You didn't have a very good aim, though. Did you?" Punk asked as Tony growled at him, "It was a mistake. I never shot you purposely. You came out of nowhere and you got the bullet." Punk said, "I got you to the hospital, I stayed with you all night, I made sure you were ok." Punk nodded, "It was an accident."

"An accident that ruined my life." Tony said, "Do you have any idea how long it took me to go back out in the streets? Even just to the store?" He spat as Punk looked across at him, "You people were always sniffing around my house. My street. I thought you were the good guys, keeping the streets safe." He said, "But obviously not."

"Tony, I didn't shoot you on purpose." Punk said, "I fired the shot and you stepped out into it."

"Oh, so it's my fault?" Tony laughed, "Of course it's my fault." He nodded.

"I get you're mad and maybe you're still a little scared, but it was an accident, and I didn't mean to hurt you." Punk said. He couldn't really believe it was him all these years later. He also couldn't believe that he had been so wrapped up in this for so long.

"When I saw you leave the station that night to go for those little girls, I knew you'd found something, so I followed you and I thought I'd take you out at your most precious time."

"If you got me in the right place, those little girls would have died." Punk spat, "Now you can have an issue with me, that's fine, but when you put other people's lives in danger, that's when you cross the line." He said.

"What line?" Tony laughed, "Maybe it worked out for the best. Now I can look you in the eye when I shoot you. I'll shoot you right where you shot me." He raised his gun as Punk looked at him calmly.

"You're still a young kid, Tony. You wanna spend the rest of your life in prison?" Punk asked him, "My girl is home any minute and she will either kill you or she will make sure you see the longest, never-ending prison sentence." Punk said.

"Maybe we should wait for her then." Tony laughed, putting his gun back in his pocket as he walked towards Punk, "Is the baby sleeping?" He whispered to Punk whose nose twitched, "Can I go take a look?" He smiled, back-tracking as Punk grabbed him by the shirt and pinned him against the nearest wall.

"You go in that room and I will kill you myself." Punk spat, "Now you're getting arrested either way. You can go down without a fight, or you can go down with a fight and lose it." He said, "Either way, you're not getting what you came here for." He spat as Tony just smiled, both of them turning around when the apartment door opened up.

"Phil, baby do you have-" AJ paused as she looked across at her boyfriend pinning another man up against the wall. She immediately dropped her bags and folders and pulled her gun out, "What is going on?" AJ spat.

"Go on, tell her." Tony smiled as Punk stepped back a little.

"Is this who shot you?" AJ asked Punk, keeping her gun up, pointed at Tony as Punk nodded.

"He's the kid I shot." Punk told her as AJ looked at Tony, "And he wants his revenge." Punk shrugged as AJ held her gun tightly.

"Cuff him." AJ nodded to Punk who stood paused.

"He feels guilty." Tony smirked, "That's the best part."

"Shut up!" AJ yelled, turning back to Tony, "He made a mistake. You're doing this on purpose." She said, stepping closer.

"Maybe." Tony nodded, "But it's what he deserves. Even he knows it." Tony smirked, looking over at Punk.

"He shouldn't feel guilty. He helped you and he got you to a hospital." AJ spat, "Don't you have a life to live?" She shook her head, "Well I guess not anymore when we take you in and you get sentenced to attempted murder and home invasion."

"Attempted murder?" Tony laughed, taking his gun from his back pocket as AJ stepped back into Punk, holding her gun at him.

"I will shoot you." AJ spat, "You try anything and I will shoot you." AJ said as Tony shook his head.

"It's been enough to see the guilt on his face." Tony smiled, looking past her and over to Punk who glared back at him, "Knowing that guilt will last forever with him. That's enough for me." He said as AJ shook her head with confusion.

Both AJ and Punk then watched as he turned his own gun into himself, placing the gun into his mouth as AJ and Punk shook their heads.

"No! No, don't!" Punk put his hands out.

"Put the gun down!" AJ yelled, jumping as Tony pulled the trigger, blood hitting the back of the wall as AJ turned away into Punk, throwing her gun down on the floor and placing her hand over her mouth.

"Fuck." Punk stumbled back, swallowing the lump in his throat, "C-Call someone." Punk nodded to AJ who got her cell phone out of her bag with shaking hands.

* * *

"Tony Murphy. He attempted suicide five years ago, and then again three years ago." Rocky said, standing in AJ and Punk's kitchen with them whilst the body had been taken out. Eve had taken the baby out for a drive to keep her away from everything, "Seemed like a bit of a mixed-up kid." He said as Punk leaned against the fridge and closed his eyes. He couldn't stop replaying it in his head.

"He came here to try and kill Phil and then he just… he killed himself." AJ said as Rocky nodded.

"He probably knew he would get taken in, and maybe he… maybe he purposely wanted to kill himself in front of you." Rocky looked over at Punk who sighed, "Off the records here, why didn't you tell us about shooting him all those years ago?" He asked.

"I fucked up." Punk said, "And I got suspended. I didn't want everyone to know." Punk shook his head, "I-I fucked that kid up."

"No, you didn't." AJ spat, angry that he would think that, "You made a mistake and he recovered. What happened after had nothing to do with you. He obviously headed down a slippery slope." She said.

"Yeah, that started off with me shooting him." Punk said.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, man." Rocky shook his head, "He was suicidal, in a tough home-"

"Yeah and he was gonna get out until I shot him." Punk shook his head, walking away from them as AJ watched him and sighed.

"He feels guilty?" Rocky asked AJ who nodded.

"That was his last words. Tony's. He said seeing the guilt on his face was enough for him." AJ turned to Rocky.

"Phil shouldn't let this get to him. The guy was struggling. He was into all sorts of things."

"And now Phil thinks that's his fault." AJ shook her head, folding her arms as she watched Punk talking to one of the other officers, "He really thinks this is his fault." AJ shook her head, turning to Rocky.

"Well it's not. He made an accident and the boy recovered from it. That's all that happened regarding Phil." Rocky said.

"Do you think he wanted to kill himself in front of Punk to make him feel even worse?" AJ asked.

"Probably." Rocky said, "I'll look into more things, see what the kid was really about. He just wanted to get his bit in, to make Punk feel even worse." Rocky said, "Talk to him and make sure he knows it's not his fault."

"I will." AJ sighed, looking over at Punk who looked pale white and ready to throw up.

* * *

Once everyone had left, Eve had dropped Nova back off and AJ and Punk were finally left alone after a crazy night. She walked into Nova's room where Punk was sat on the rocking chair with the baby girl asleep in his arms.

"Hey." AJ said softly as Punk looked up, "Is she ok?" She smiled.

"Yeah, she's fine." Punk nodded, looking down at Nova who was peacefully asleep.

"You wanna talk about it?" AJ asked him as he shook his head.

"No." Punk told her as she looked at him.

"Phil." AJ crouched down in front of him, "The boy was mixed up. He was on drugs. He was from a bad home. He was suicidal. It's not your fault he done what he did." AJ shook her head.

"He was gonna go to college." Punk said in a trance, "And I… I shot him and it set him back." Punk looked at her, "It's my fault."

"Baby, it is not your fault." AJ said sternly, gripping onto his knee whilst Punk looked down at Nova, "You made a mistake, like we all do, and you got him to the hospital and you got him help. He recovered and then he chose to go down that road he went down. You didn't force him to." AJ shook her head, "He obviously knew he couldn't kill you, and he obviously didn't wanna go to prison, so he took his own life, just to finish it all off. To make you feel even more guilty." AJ said.

"I am guilty." Punk said, "I messed him up." He said, "I'll probably mess Nova up too."

"Stop it." AJ spat angrily as Punk looked at her. She was angry, "Don't even entertain that idea." She warned him as he looked back down at Nova, "You are not guilty. This is not your fault." She said, "None of it is." She said.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Punk told her.

"That's ok." AJ nodded, "Will you come to bed?" She asked him softly.

"I'll be in soon." Punk told her as she nodded, standing up straight, leaning down and kissing Nova's head softly, kissing her boyfriend's forehead too as he pushed a smile.

She was going to give him his space, but she wanted him to know this wasn't his fault in any way. He couldn't take the blame for this, and as she left their daughter's nursery, she could see on his face that he was taking all the blame there was.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	59. Take A Breather

**Take A Breather**

* * *

The next day, after a night of Punk staying wide awake staring at the ceiling, AJ and Punk both headed to work, dropping Nova at Dan's house and heading to the station. AJ knew he hadn't slept. He had those big black eyes and he was pale white. He went that way when he hadn't slept or he was worried about something.

Punk didn't want to talk about it. He kept seeing it over and over in his head, and although he didn't kill Tony, he felt responsible for the actions he'd taken against himself. He felt guilty for shooting him mistakenly and setting him back in his life. He was a young kid with a future, and his mistake ruined that for him, and drove him to suicide. That's the way he looked at it, and he felt sick thinking about it.

"I uh… I forgot to ask you." Punk said as they pulled up outside the station as AJ turned the engine off and turned to him, "How did the doctors go?" He asked her, trying to think about anything other than the obvious.

"It was ok." AJ smiled softly. She knew him. She knew him too well. He would try and show her that he was fine, and that everything was normal, but she knew this was getting to his head, and as cops it was so important to never feel responsible for someone's actions, "I had a really good talk with Nancy. I'm upping my meds too, she thinks with the stress of work returning that upping my meds will do me some good." She said as Punk nodded, looking down, not wishing to get out of the car, "Phil, you could have taken a personal day today." AJ nodded as he shook his head.

"No, I gotta work." Punk shook his head as she smiled sympathetically, "I'm fine." He turned to her with a smile, "Really."

"Ok, I believe you." AJ nodded, "But you can talk to me. I know you feel guilty and responsible for what's happened but… this boy wasn't mentally well, and maybe it stemmed from when you shot him, but it was an accident and he got the medical and professional help for it." AJ nodded, reaching her hand over and cupping his cheek, "You didn't kill him. He done that to himself." AJ assured him as he looked across at her and nodded.

"I just can't stop seeing it." Punk shook his head, leaning back against the seat.

"Me neither." AJ nodded, "I barely slept." She said as he nodded, "I guess it's what we sign up for when we take this job." She shrugged.

"I didn't sign up to watch anyone kill themselves." Punk admitted to her as she nodded.

"No, I know." AJ said, "Promise me though, you'll not blame yourself or think you did this to him?" AJ asked.

"I just need to let it all digest." Punk told her truthfully as she nodded.

"I'm here if you need to talk to me." AJ nodded, "I'm always here. Ok?" She said, leaning over and kissing his cheek as she smiled, "C'mon, let's go." She said, getting out of the car with him as they walked around to the main entrance of the station.

When they got into the station, Rocky immediately approached them with more information on Tony. He headed to their office where they both were to let them know.

"Hi, guys." Rocky knocked on the door as he walked in, "You ok?" He asked them both, particularly looking at Punk who was sat on AJ's desk whilst AJ sat on her chair behind.

"We're ok." Punk nodded to Rocky, appreciating the concern.

"Ok." Rocky nodded, "Well, we got the autopsy back and I got some more information on Tony." Rocky said as they both listened, "He was on heroine. Looked like he'd taken it right before he came to your apartment." Rocky said as Punk nodded, "He was unemployed and living with one of his friends. And the whole thing about him getting set back from college? He got in the next year and declined the offer." Rocky looked across at Punk, "So… he chose to go down the road he went down." He made clear as Punk just nodded.

"Has his family and friends been contacted?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, Dean and Eve were on it." Rocky said, "He was pretty estranged from his parents, and his friends are all meth heads." He shrugged, "Doesn't make it any easier though." He said as AJ nodded.

"Ok. Well, we can officially close Nicole and Lucy's case then." AJ said as Rocky nodded.

"I'm on it." Rocky nodded, "Don't be so hard on yourself, man." Rocky turned to Punk, "You're not the reason he's dead."

"I know." Punk nodded, "Thanks, Rock." Punk smiled tiredly as he nodded and left the office.

"Poor kid." AJ shook her head, "He… He took a wrong turn." She said as Punk turned to her, "You look really tired." She stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck as he placed his hands on her waist.

"I am tired." Punk admitted.

"Why don't you go home? Get some sleep before we get Nova later." AJ nodded, "You can't work when you haven't slept." She said.

"No, I gotta be here." Punk said stubbornly as she smiled.

"I got things covered." AJ promised him, "You need to rest. Your shoulder is still trying to heal." She said.

"Stop fussing." Punk said.

"I wanna fuss." AJ pined, "Please, go home and rest. Have some alone time." She nodded as he sighed. She just wanted him to feel better and feel healthy. His own mental health was important, just as much as hers was, "Like you said, it might just take some time. But as long as you know it was never your fault what happened."

"I know it wasn't my fault, Ape. I just wonder if… if I hadn't shot him, would it have made a difference?" He wondered, keeping his hands on her waist.

"You can't say what if this and what if that." AJ said, "You heard Rocky. He got into college the following year and he refused to go. That was his choice. He decided to get mixed in with drugs and alcohol." AJ said, "You didn't make him do that." She said. She couldn't stand him feeling so guilty and responsible for this, "Remember he shot you, Phil. The kid was mixed up, and not because of you shooting him." She said as he just nodded, "Go home and get some sleep." She cupped his cheeks in desperation.

"Ok." Punk gave in as she smiled, "Ok, you win." He nodded as she kissed him softly with a smile that made him smile, "But I might go pick up Nova first. Give my dad a little break." Punk said.

"Phil." AJ said in a firm tone, "If you pick up Nova you'll just stay awake watching her all day." She rolled her eyes as he laughed.

"Me and her will nap together." Punk promised as she smiled.

"My babies." AJ smiled, brushing her hand over his hair, "Ok, off you go. Mama has work to do." She said as he stood up off the desk and smiled.

"Call me if you need anything, yeah?" Punk said.

"Yes, I know." AJ nodded, "I love you. Have a good sleep." She said.

"I love you." Punk said as he left the office. It was strange but, he still wasn't used to having someone looking after him and taking care of him the way AJ did.

* * *

He drove to his dad's house and explained to him what was going on and that he had practically been sent home from work by his own girlfriend, which his dad got a kick out of.

"She's just had her bottle." Dan said, passing five-month-old Nova to Punk, "And then she normally goes down about 12 for a nap." He said proudly, taking a seat across from Punk who laughed a little.

"I know." Punk smiled a little, cradling Nova into him as she looked up at him, smiling every time he spoke in a funny voice to her.

"If you needed sleep, you could have just gone home and I would have dropped her off to you later." Dan insisted.

"It's ok. I figured I give you a break from babysitting duty." Punk said, "Plus, I do miss her." Punk admitted as Dan smiled. He was glad that his father was taking so much to do with Nova and was being there for her. It seemed like the world spun more easily without his mother and brother in the picture. He knew Nova loved her grandfather too, she was always an angel for him.

"You know that all of this wasn't your fault." Dan said as Punk looked up at him, "You know, the boy who killed himself." He said, "That's not your fault."

"I know it's not my fault." Punk said, "But there's still guilt there. I made that mistake and I still feel guilty." Punk said as Dan nodded.

"That's normal. You're human. You care." Dan said, "But you didn't turn that gun into him and force him to pull the trigger. He did that. So don't be blaming yourself." He said, "You don't have time to be taking guilt when it's not necessary. You have a family to look after. A good job." He said, "Way more than I ever had at your age."

"I know." Punk nodded, "I'll be ok. I just need a bit of time to let it sink in. I still can't stop seeing it. Neither can April." He admitted, bouncing Nova in his arms as she made soft noises and pulled at one of his shirt buttons.

"Well I can only imagine what it felt like to see such a thing." Dan shook his head, "Aren't you used to that sort of thing, though?"

"I'm used to seeing dead bodies, and people shooting, or stabbings… I'm not used to seeing someone put a gun in their mouth and pull the trigger in my own apartment." Punk shook his head, "That's not part of my job." He said.

"No, I don't think it is." Dan agreed, "Maybe you need a few days off to clear your head." He suggested.

"No, I'll be ok." Punk nodded promisingly, "I just needa catch up on sleep and move forward." He said as Dan nodded.

"How are you? Are you ok?" Punk asked. He knew his father had lost a lot over the past few months, and he'd learned a lot of hard truths, but Punk believed it had brought them closer together.

"I'm ok." Dan nodded, "I think things seem to run more smoothly without your mother here. And your brother." Dan said, "What would you do if… if you found out your wife was a cheat?" He wondered.

"What? You mean April?" Punk asked as Dan nodded, "I don't know. I can't imagine it because I know April wouldn't do that." He said, "You and mom met pretty quickly, right?" He asked as Dan nodded, "And you guys got married and had Mike like within the first year, so… maybe that's where things went wrong." Punk said, "Maybe you never even got the chance to figure out if you loved each other." Punk said, "April's my best friend. She always has been. You and mom were never like that." He said as Dan nodded.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Dan said, "What you and April have is great." He smiled, "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." Punk nodded.

"Are you gonna propose soon?" Dan asked as Punk placed Nova into her carrier and began strapping her in carefully whilst she looked up at him with those big brown eyes.

"I haven't thought about it." Punk said, "I don't know if marriage is something we want." He admitted, "I mean… I have a ring but-"

"You have a ring?" Dan shook his head.

"Yeah, well I was gonna propose but then she got pregnant and I started to think about… if we really needed to get married." He said.

"Do you not want to marry her?" Dan asked, rather shocked if he said yes.

"Of course I'd marry her." Punk nodded, "I'm never gonna be with anyone else." He said, "But… I don't know if it's what she wants. She's still… it's like she's still trying to adapt to us being together." Punk said, "She's still a bit of a closed book."

"Isn't that just who she is?" Dan questioned.

"Well yeah." Punk nodded, "But I don't know." He shrugged, "I just don't think it's gonna change anything we have if we get married."

"Have you talked to her about it?" Dan asked.

"No." Punk shook his head as Dan just nodded.

"Well, it's your life." Dan nodded, "You decide what works for you." He said as Punk stood up, holding Nova's carrier.

"We're good either way." Punk nodded positively, heading to the front door as Dan followed.

"Are you off to take a nap now?" Dan laughed lightly as Punk nodded.

"We both are." Punk smiled, "Aren't we, sweetheart?" He looked down at Nova who cracked a smile, causing his heart so swell up. She was the most precious little angel ever, and her smile was something that made everything in life seem bright and angelic.

"Well enjoy." Dan laughed, "Will you be dropping her off tomorrow?" He wondered.

"Yeah. If that's ok?" Punk said as Dan nodded.

"I'll see you then." Dan said, patting Punk on the back as he left with Nova.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	60. Nap Is Power

**Nap Is Power**

* * *

AJ got home later that night, walking through the apartment door quietly in the case of Punk being asleep. She placed her folders and bag down on the kitchen table, taking her coat off and sitting it over the chair as she walked across the apartment and into her bedroom she shared with Punk, pausing at the door as she smiled like she'd never smiled before.

She looked on at her boyfriend fast asleep on his side whilst Nova lay asleep on her back beside him. He had made a little pillow fort around her so she wouldn't fall off which made her smile even more. And at the bottom of the bed was Ace who wasn't asleep but guarding both of them.

She grabbed a blanket from the cupboard seeing as they were laying on top of the bed without any covers. She shook out the blanket on top of them, smiling at them both where they seemed to be completely out cold, in a peaceful sleep. She hadn't noticed until now how much Nova really looked like him, and it was an image she wanted to keep in her head forever.

She lay a kiss on each of their heads, Ace's included, and left the bedroom with a smile on her face, shutting the door over and wandering back to the kitchen to start dinner.

She couldn't help admire how far they'd both come, as a couple, as parents, even as best friends. She still remembered the first time she was introduced to him in the station.

" _So, this is your desk." Walter nodded, "Reports and analysing can be done here. Around the corner is the interviewing rooms and the boardrooms, where we collect evidence and speak to witnesses." He said as a young AJ followed him around the station, "Now, you're a rookie, and I know that kills you, but I gotta have an officer or two looking out for you." He told her as AJ placed her things down at her new desk. She'd never had a desk before._

" _Well, I know Eve, I can work with her." AJ said timidly._

" _Eve is practically a rookie herself." Walter chuckled a little, "Come with me." He said as AJ followed him around the station. She'd worked so hard in the academy to finally get here, and now she was told she had to be supervised._

 _AJ watched as they entered the copying area where an African American man stood alongside a scruffy man with two colours of hair, another man who looked like he was drunk, and another man who had his long black hair tied back in a bobble, tattoos all over his hands, one behind his ear too. They didn't look like typical cops._

" _Uh…" Walter paused as he looked between the four of them, "Phil." He nodded, "This is April Mendez. She's came from New Jersey Academy. She's your problem now." He said as Punk looked down at AJ and nodded._

" _Nice to meet you." Punk extended his hand as AJ shook it politely, introducing herself to the rest of them._

" _Ok, I have to go." Walter said as AJ looked up at him with fear, "Break a leg." He nodded to her, "I've heard great things about you." He said as AJ just smiled, watching him rush off as AJ turned back to the four men, looking up at the man who now had a right to call her 'rookie'_

" _You're kinda small for a cop." Dean said, not being able to bite his tongue as AJ gulped._

" _Uh… don't mind him." Punk smirked, wrapping his arm around AJ's shoulder and leading her away from them as she looked a little uncomfortable with his close contact, "They're just goofing around." He said, taking his arm from around her as they reached his desk._

" _I won't… I won't trouble you. You don't have to babysit me." AJ laughed nervously, "I'll be over at my desk and if we're going out just… let me know." She said as he looked at her and nodded. She was crazy beautiful, and he had a feeling her height didn't match the danger she could cause._

" _You're not gonna be troubling me." Punk said, "I was a rookie too. Not that long ago, might I add." He said, "We've all been there." He nodded as she smiled with ease. He was a lot nicer than he looked._

" _It is a little scary… coming in here." AJ admitted, looking around the station at everyone busy, officers coming and going out and in._

" _You'll get used to it." Punk said, watching AJ look around the station._

" _What's that room up there?" AJ asked him, pointing to the back of the station at the room closed around glass._

" _Oh, that's the detective's office." Punk nodded, "Might I warn you that you gotta knock before entering, or he will hit you with something." He said as AJ laughed a little._

" _Detective, huh?" AJ smiled to herself and nodded._

" _So where are you from again?" Punk asked, sitting on the edge of the desk._

" _New Jersey. I moved here when I got the job." She said, "I was in the academy with Eve actually. Eve Torres. You know her?" AJ wondered._

" _I do, yeah." Punk nodded, "She knows jiu-jitsu, right?" He said, "She's a little bit scary."_

" _She is. I agree with you." AJ nodded, "We were in the academy together and I guess it's fate that we're both here together now." She said as Punk smiled._

" _It's nice to break in with someone." Punk nodded, "I came in with Dean over there." Punk nodded over to where Dean, Seth and Rocky were still standing, "He's a good guy, terrifying if you're on his wrong side. But a sweet guy." He nodded as AJ smiled, "You don't mind me asking why you wanted to be a cop?" He asked._

" _No." AJ laughed, "I just… I like that satisfied feeling of… doing the right thing." She nodded, "Getting justice for people." She nodded as he nodded in agreement, "My sister was killed so… I know what it feels like to… not have that justice."_

" _Oh, shit." Punk said, "I'm sorry, I-" He paused as he remembered her last name, "Wait… was that your sister? Uh… what was her name?" He clicked his finger trying to remember._

" _Garbielle?" AJ said._

" _That's it!" Punk nodded, "Shit, I had no idea." Punk said, "I'm real sorry. I remember… I remember reading about it in the paper." He said, "Still haven't found who done it, huh?" He asked._

" _No. And I don't think they're trying either." AJ shrugged, not wanting to get into it._

" _Well I'm sorry for your loss." Punk nodded to her as she smiled._

" _Thanks." AJ smiled sweetly._

" _Did Walter show you around?" Punk asked her, "He's rarely ever here, I'm surprised he came to meet you."_

" _He's been nice to me." AJ said, "He showed me around briefly." She nodded._

" _I can take you for a longer tour if you like?" He said, "Serving rookie duties." He smirked as she rolled her eyes._

" _Ok, go on then." She nodded as he jumped up off the desk and began showing her around. She immediately felt comfortable. That uneasy nervous feeling in her stomach had gone, and it was because he was so comforting._

* * *

"Hey." Punk said softly, later on that night as he walked out of the bedroom with Nova in his arms, her little eyes adjusting to the light after taking a long nap with her father. AJ had made dinner and was now lounging on the couch, enjoying the peaceful sound of silence for once.

"Hey, lazy." AJ smiled across at him, "Have a good sleep?" She asked, sitting up as he joined her over on the couch with Nova.

"I think we both did." Punk nodded as AJ smiled, "I gave her her bottle and changed her, and then I was playing with her and we must have both passed out." He shook his head, "I needed it though."

"You did." AJ agreed, tucking his hair behind his ear that had fell out of its slicked ways, "She looks cranky." AJ admitted, looking at Nova who was curled into Punk with a scrunched-up face.

"She wanted to keep napping with daddy. Didn't you, sweetness?" Punk asked her, lifting her up under her arms, her little feet kicking against his thighs as they both smiled.

"Dinner is ready. I can take her if you wanna get something." AJ told him.

"She'll probably go back down." Punk admitted, sitting Nova back on his lap, "She's sleepy today." Punk said as AJ smiled.

"I'll go put her down then, and then I'll probably go for a shower. I didn't wanna wake either of you so I held off." She said.

"Such a saint." Punk smiled as she nodded, taking Nova from him and standing up.

Punk watched as she headed off into Nova's nursery to put her down in her crib for the night. There was nothing more that he loved to see than the love of his life mothering his child. They were his world. They always would be.

* * *

Whilst Punk picked at whatever food was there, not actually eating anything as a dinner, AJ had gone for a shower. She stripped out of her grey dress along with her underwear, and got under the hot shower. She couldn't believe that working whilst taking care of a baby was actually working. Of course Dan was a massive help, but it wasn't as stressful as she thought it would be, putting aside the abduction case and what had gone on with Punk and Tony.

She was rinsing the shampoo out of her hair when she heard the shower doors open behind her, smiling to herself as she felt tattooed hands on her waist, turning around and smiling up at her boyfriend, who thankfully looked a lot healthier and brighter than what he did this morning.

"That nap done you wonders." AJ admitted, wrapping her arms around his neck as he smiled.

"It did." Punk agreed, "Gave me some time to think too." Punk admitted, "And I spoke to my dad." He nodded, he did feel better about everything, not entirely, of course it was still on his mind, but taking the day off really did help.

"I'm glad." AJ smiled, "Anything I can do to help you, I will." AJ nodded to him as he smirked.

"Anything?" He whispered as she smiled, giggling as he lifted her up off the ground, pressing her against the tiles as the shower sprayed down on his back.

"Hi." AJ smiled, leaning her forehead against his as he smiled.

"Hi." He replied, "I missed you today." He admitted as she smiled, "How was work?" He asked her whilst taking his hand and palming her below, massaging her clit with his fingers as she rolled her head back.

"Work was… it was… oh, God." AJ moaned, gripping his shoulder as he smiled, "It was fine." She bit her lip, looking into his eyes, cupping his cheeks and pressing her lips roughly against his, "Mmm… over the sink." AJ mouthed against his lips as he shook his head with confusion.

"What?" He said as she stood down, turning the shower off and walking out of the shower as he followed her.

"Things were getting too wet in there." She smirked to him.

"There's no such thing." Punk shook his head, watching as she sunk to her knees, wrapping her hand around his length and stroking him up and down, eventually taking him into her mouth as he rolled his eyes, running his hands through his wet hair, slicking it back as he looked down at her, almost losing it at the sight, "Fuck, April… fuck, come here." He muttered, pulling her up to her feet and turning her around, bending her over the sink as she smiled.

"I wanna watch you fuck me." AJ smiled, looking on at the mirror in front of them that she could see Punk in that was above the sink.

Punk just smirked, stroking himself up and down before slipping inside her, watching as she gripped the sides of the sink tightly, "Fuck, April." Punk moaned.

AJ watched him in the mirror, her eyes rolling to the back of her head with every thrust he gave. They were hard, powerful strokes that was shifting her forward every time he thrust into her, and the sight of him in the mirror was further encouraging her moans. He looked so lost in her, so focused on only her, like she was the only living thing on earth, and she knew she'd never find someone who treated her like that, the way he did.

Punk twisted his hands forward, cupping her breasts as he thrust in and out of her.

"N-No my hair." AJ begged as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, bunching it together whilst her back arched back, continuing to take his hard thrusts that were pushing right on her g-spot. The coolness of the metal on the sink against her still wet body was a plus.

"Yeah, you like that?" Punk asked, "Fuck." He moaned, "I'm close." He panted as she nodded.

"Me too, baby." AJ moaned as she felt his hands go back to her hips, thrusting into her hard and fast, almost knocking her through the wall with how hard she felt it, she was gripping onto the sink for dear life, but she'd have it no other way, "Phil, baby… right there." AJ moaned, her knuckles turning white as she gripped at the sink, "Fuck!" AJ moaned, letting out a loud gasp as she felt herself reach her destination, feeling pleasure wave through her body as it twitched.

Her body shook whilst Punk slowed down a little, tangling his hand around her leg and massaging her clit, smirking to himself, "Fuck, you came hard." He whispered, leaning forward and kissing her back as she laughed.

He picked up the pace of his thrusts, finding his own release as he pulled out of her, watching her sink back to her knees as he caught on and massaged himself quickly over her, spilling himself on her tongue, some fluid spurting out onto her cheek too as she took over from him and stroked him up and down, taking everything he had to give her as he looked down at her with a smirk.

"You're a messy boy." She hummed, taking her finger and wiping any fluid that was on her face, licking it off her finger as she rose to her feet.

"You're not so tidy yourself." Punk said, nodding to the sink where she had been bent over and where some of her own fluids were.

"I think we need a shower for real this time." AJ admitted as he nodded.

"This never works out for us." Punk said, following her back into the shower as she chuckled.

"Well, you can always wait and take a shower after." She shrugged, turning the shower on as he closed the doors behind them, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Nah, I'm fine here." He smiled.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	61. Best Friend

**Best Friend**

* * *

"Hi, baby girl." AJ smiled the next morning, having walked into Nova's nursery where the five-month-old lay wide awake, "Did you have a good sleep?" AJ asked softly, lifting her up under her little arms and holding her up, "Huh? Did you have a nice sleep?" She smiled, kissing her soft cheek as Nova kicked her legs, trying to wriggle out of her mother's grip. She was getting strong like that. When either Punk or AJ was changing her diaper, she would shuffle her way up and down the mat using her legs. It was fun to watch her grow. She wasn't talking nor walking, far from it, but she made noises and laughed, particularly at Punk. AJ reckoned it was his voice she liked to hear since whenever she heard him, her little eyes would widen.

"Daddy is showering, and when he comes out you can say good morning to him." AJ nodded, walking off into the kitchen with Nova. They did find themselves talking to her like she could actually understand them, but it was good for her health to be interacted with.

She made up Nova's bottle, having learned to do it with just one free hand whilst she balanced Nova up with her other arm. She also gave Ace his breakfast since he was sitting waiting patiently.

She then sat with her morning coffee on the couch, her baby cradled into the crook of her arm as she guzzled her morning bottle. Sometimes she wished she could just stay here all day with Nova, but she also loved her job and felt it was her duty to be back.

"Hey." Punk said as he walked out of their bedroom, greeting Ace who jumped up on him whilst he finished buttoning up his shirt and fixing himself, "She good?" Punk asked, walking over to them as AJ nodded.

"She's not interested in you if she has her bottle." AJ told him as he knew that to be true and took a seat on the opposite couch, practically still getting himself ready, "I'll wait until she finishes her bottle and then I'll go for a shower." She said as Punk nodded.

"What'd I miss yesterday at work?" Punk asked her.

"Attempted rape. I'm speaking to the girl today." AJ sighed a little, "Uh… home invasion too." She nodded.

"Sounds great." Punk nodded sarcastically, "Well if you're busy I can check out the home invasion with Dean or someone else." He shrugged, "We'll take a look around and see what's up." Punk nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Yeah, ok. I think I'm gonna be a while with this other case anyway." She said.

"What happened?" Punk asked.

"She was at a club, couldn't get a cab so she started walking home, pulled down a street, dress pulled up… luckily someone saw and called over, that's when the guy ran off." AJ said, "The girl never saw his face and has no idea who it could be. So, I have nothing much to work with." She admitted.

"You'll think of something. It always comes to you." Punk nodded to her, "Streets aren't safe anymore, are they?" He shook his head.

"It's a different thing every day." AJ nodded, looking down at Nova who was finishing off her bottle, "Ok. You wanna go to daddy?" AJ said, sitting the empty bottle over on the coffee table as Punk smiled, "Huh? You wanna say hi to daddy?" She smiled, standing up and passing Nova over to Punk.

"Morning to you too." Punk smiled as Nova smiled up at him.

"Why does she never smile at me?" AJ sighed.

"I look funny probably." Punk shook his head as AJ smiled.

"Ok, I'm going for a shower." She said, walking off into their bedroom whilst Punk stayed with Nova.

* * *

After a day of work, AJ and Punk got home, having picked up Nova on the way home, cooking dinner together and then lounging around in the sitting area with the TV on. It was nice to come home to this after a tough day at work. AJ never thought in a million years that her life would be like this. She always thought about the idea of having her own children, and a partner she loved dearly, but she always felt like it was just wishful thinking.

"What toy is it that she likes again?" Punk asked, sitting down on the floor beside Nova who was lying on her mat.

"The blue one." AJ nodded, "She likes touching the hair on it." She said as Punk found the toy. It was an blue, soft octopus with fuzzy hair, and each of its eight arms was a different colour.

"You like this one?" Punk said, waving it at her as her little eyes focused on it, "Is this your favourite?" Punk asked as she reached her arms out to it. She took the octopus and began chewing on one of the arms, "Ok, Ape… she's eating it." Punk looked up at AJ who laughed a little.

"She's probably starting to teethe." AJ nodded, sitting up and looking over at their baby girl with one of the toys arms in her mouth, "We'll need to get her some sort of gel or something." AJ said, "Remind me." She sat back, looking back at the TV as Punk continued to play with Nova.

"Hey, babe why you eating your toy?" Punk asked Nova, "Huh? Why you eating it?" Punk asked her as she looked up at him and giggled, "What is so funny?" Punk laughed as AJ smiled, "April, she really looks like you it's scaring me." Punk admitted.

"I think she's looking more like you." AJ said, "When I came home yesterday, when you were napping, you looked really alike." AJ nodded.

"No, she's all you" Punk said, "Gorgeous." He whispered, kissing her head softly and getting back to his feet, joining AJ on the couch as she smiled and leaning against him comfortably.

"This is nice." AJ said as Punk smiled, "I really had my doubts about things working out with the baby and us going back to work, but… things are going well." She said, "Massive thanks to your dad of course."

"Yeah, I'm surprised too." Punk admitted, "My dad really loves spending time with her. She gives him something to do, I guess." He said as AJ nodded, smiling over at Nova who was continuing to lay on her mat, grabbing whatever toys around her, happily content.

"I definitely want more." AJ said, never thinking she'd say that.

"More what?" Punk asked, looking over at the TV briefly.

"More children." AJ said as Punk turned to her, "Not right now obviously. But… I just… I love watching you with her, and I never thought I'd be any good at being a mom." She admitted truthfully, "But I feel like I'm doing ok."

"April, you're the best mom." Punk nodded.

"I just didn't know how I'd deal with it all." AJ said, "But I can't imagine life without her. I can't imagine what life was like before we had her." AJ admitted truthfully as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Punk nodded, taking his opportunity now that he saw it, "You know, we've never talked about marriage." Punk stated as AJ looked up at him.

"I figured you wouldn't want that." AJ admitted.

"Why?" Punk asked her.

"Well I just… I think we're doing just fine." AJ said, "What good is it gonna do?" She shrugged.

"You scared?" Punk asked her seriously. He knew her. Better than anyone. Sometimes she forgot that.

"I'm not scared." AJ scoffed, "I just don't see the point in marriage."

"You are scared." Punk said, "You still like the idea that we're just getting used to being together." He said, "I get it. I know you're still trying to adapt to being together and having Nova, and that's ok." Punk assured her as she looked up at him, "I am too. We're still learning new things. I know we've been best friends for what feels like forever, but we've only been together for two years." He said as she nodded.

"I don't know I just…" She shook her head, "When I got that phone call from Dean, to say you had been shot, I… I felt so… weak." AJ said, as if disgusted with herself, "I've never depended on anyone like I do with you, and the thought of losing you terrified me. That hopelessness. That same feeling I felt when I lost Gabrielle." AJ shook her head, "I can't go through that again."

"You're not gonna lose me, sweetheart." Punk said, "And you're not weak without me."

"I feel it." AJ said, "And I've never felt that way. With Jacob… being without him was fine because I could count on myself and I was strong on my own." AJ said, "Now it's like… losing you would just completely destroy me." She said as Punk sighed.

"You shouldn't feel like that." Punk said, "You shouldn't be thinking about losing me either, I'm right here." He said, "You wanna know what I think?" He asked her as she nodded, "I think you've never had any sort of love in your life that has stuck around, and you know fine well that I'm not going anywhere, and that scares you." He said as she nodded, "We should be scared of the people on the streets, and the murderers we speak to and the robbers, not… not each other." He said, "I will never hurt you. Ever." Punk promised her, "And you are strong with or without me. The strongest person I know." He said as she smiled down to herself, "Look at me." He said as she looked up at him, "We're still learning. We're still figuring out how to be a mom and dad as well as figuring out how to be a good boyfriend and girlfriend." He said as she nodded, "But I can promise you that you don't have to be afraid of losing me." He said.

"I'm just being stupid." AJ shook her head, "I overthink everything. You know that." She said, "But I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel that way. I've spoken to my doctor about it. She thinks it's all to do with losing my sister. She was the only thing I had and I lost her and now… you're the only thing I have, you and Nova. And I'm afraid I'll lose that too." She admitted.

"Well you're not." Punk promised her, "You don't have to push me away because you're afraid to be loved." He said as she nodded.

"I know." AJ smiled, "This has nothing to do with you, I promise. It's just me… being me." She laughed a little.

"It's ok." Punk wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "You can talk to me about anything. If something is bothering you, you let me know." He said, "You might be my kid's mom, but you're my best friend." He said as she smiled and curled into him.

"I love you." She said, kissing his chest through his t-shirt as he smiled.

"I love you too." Punk said, "So much." He said, kissing her head as she smiled, both of them listening as Nova made noises from her mat in front of them, "Yes, we love you too." Punk spoke as AJ smiled. She loved her little family, and she felt so lucky to have her boyfriend and daughter.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	62. Staying Late

**Staying Late**

* * *

"Get up!" Punk spat after cuffing a struggling man in his rundown apartment, man-handling him up to his feet as he tried to struggle, "You wanna rape women?" Punk asked him, "Huh? You like forcing yourself on women down streets? You like making them feel weak?" He spat as AJ stood watching coldly.

"Get him out of here." AJ nodded.

"Go!" Punk pushed the man forward, "Keep walking, that's it." Punk said, taking the man out of the apartment whilst AJ looked around the place whilst Seth walked in.

"Is he definitely our guy?" Seth asked as AJ nodded.

"Definitely." AJ said, "Whether he admits to it is a different story. I'm in for a long interview when I get back." She shook her head, looking around the small apartment, kicking things over and looking around to see if anything suspicious came up.

"You looking for something?" Seth asked her as AJ nodded.

"His face." AJ said, "He looked like he… like he thought we were here for something else. He was shocked when we were asking about the attempted rape." AJ nodded, "Which makes me wonder what he's hiding in here. Drugs. A weapon." AJ shrugged, looking around the living room.

"You can tell just by the look on his face?" Seth asked.

"Yeah. Expressions are a true wonder." AJ nodded, walking into the small bedroom whilst Seth waited outside, having a look around too until AJ called for him, "Seth!" AJ yelled quickly as Seth ran into the room, hand hovering at his gun by his side whilst he paused, gulping as he looked on at the opened-up closet that AJ showed him where a dead body of woman lay.

* * *

"Ok, just so you know this is being interviewed for evidence." AJ walked into the interviewing room which was basically just a bare room with a table and two chairs. It was white and bright and was being watched from behind the door on monitors by two uniformed officers.

AJ took a seat across from the cuffed man, clasping her hands on the desk as he looked across at her intently, "I assume you were aware of the dead body in your closet in your bedroom." AJ said as he stared at her blankly, "Julio Moreno." AJ looked at the folder in front of her, "You're a construction manager, right?" She said as he nodded, "You wanna tell me why there was a dead body in your apartment?" She asked him.

"I don't know." Julio shook his head as AJ leaned back on the chair and folded her arms.

"It just… it just magically appeared there?" AJ asked, "Someone clicked their fingers and it just… showed up there?" She asked him as he looked across at her, "C'mon, tell me." AJ provoked, "Or shall we talk about the attempted rape? You enjoy pulling women down streets and forcing yourself on them?" She spat with disgust, "Even when they say no?" AJ asked.

"She never said no." Julio said as AJ stood up, her chair screeching back as she placed two hands on the table and leaned forward to him.

"But did she say yes?" AJ asked, staring him in the eyes as he gulped, "Answer me." AJ spat.

"No." Julio answered.

"Then you tried to rape her." AJ said, leaning back, folding her arms as she began to circle around the table, around Julio, "If that man never spotted you, would you have continued to rape her?" AJ asked him, "Why her?" She asked, "Was it her clothes?" She breathed down his neck, "Was she eyeing you up and you felt entitled to her after that?" She spat, continuing to circle around him as Julio watched her, "Which is it?" AJ asked, pausing across from him as he looked up at her.

"We'd been looking at each other all night. She left and when I saw her walking home I thought-"

"You thought you'd rape her?" AJ asked.

"Can you let me speak?" Julio said as AJ raised a brow, "I thought it's what she wanted. I didn't know she wasn't gonna be into it."

"What did it matter? You proceeded anyway." AJ spat, "She told me she resisted. That she told you to get off of her, but you didn't, you continued to pull her dress up and undo your zip until someone spotted you." AJ said as the interview room door opened, "Not now!" AJ shouted.

"Brooks just got back from Forensic Pathologist." The uniformed officer said as AJ turned around and nodded.

"Ok, stay here with him." AJ said, "Suspend the interview just now." She said, leaving the room and finding Punk waiting outside, "Anything on the body?" She asked him.

"Yeah, so she's been dead for around approximately two days." Punk said as he looked at the paper in front of him, "She's got bruising on her wrists, neck and ribs, and cause of death was from a blow to the head." He said, "She's been identified as Grace Moreno." He said as AJ looked up at him with wide eyes, "That motherfucker's wife." Punk nodded as AJ placed her hand on her forehead and shook her head.

"So… two days ago would have been a few days after he tried to rape Jenny." AJ said, "Do you think Grace maybe found out and he's struck out on her? Any track record of anger issues, battery assault… anything?" AJ asked hm.

"Not yet, we're still working on it, but Dean spoke to the people in the apartment below, said they were always fighting. Really hostile fights." Punk said as AJ sighed, "He giving you a hard time?" He asked.

"He's surprisingly calm." AJ groaned, "Ok, so he tries to rape Jenny, goes home to his wife, she ends up finding out and yells at him and they end up in a fight where he… he hits her in the wrong place." AJ said, "That's scenario one." She said.

"Possibly." Punk said, "The more he talks, the more we'll know." Punk said, "I'm still running their files and the apartment is being looked at more thoroughly." He said as AJ nodded.

"Ok." AJ said, "Ok, I better get back in there." AJ pointed as he handed her the documents from the forensics, "Thank you." She smiled to him as he squeezed her shoulder and headed back around the corner and through the station whilst AJ walked back into the interview room. She had a long day ahead of her.

* * *

"Hey, you ok?" Punk asked AJ later that night, walking into AJ's office with In-N-Out burger as she sighed and nodded.

"You didn't have to bring me food." AJ smiled a little, nevertheless the smell of the burgers and fries was a beautiful thing after having such a long, exhausting day.

"I was passing by." Punk shrugged, "I got through to my dad, he said Nova is fine we've to pick her up whenever we finish up here."

"Ok, good." AJ nodded, "This won't happen often." AJ promised. She felt bad for staying at work a little later tonight since they did have their precious baby to get home too, but they were busy, and Dan didn't mind taking care of Nova for a few extra hours, in fact, he seemed delighted on the phone when Punk called.

"So, what's going on with him?" Punk asked, pulling a seat over and sitting by her desk whilst she dug into the fries whilst looking up things on her computer.

"He's all for opening up about the attempted rape, even though he claims he wasn't in the wrong, and that she never said no." AJ shook her head, "But he's totally non-responsive about his wife." AJ said, "Guilt at its finest."

"They seemed like a pretty violent couple." Punk said, "He'd been charged with domestic violence late last year, but then the charges were dropped after Grace denied all of her statements that she made." Punk shook his head.

"Well that's what men like him do. Manipulate. Trap." AJ shook her head, "Poor woman." She sighed, "Did they find any of his print on her? Like her wrists?"

"They're still looking." Punk said, "They need more time to get prints and examine the body thoroughly." He said, "And there was nothing of use in the apartment. He didn't use a weapon. Must have been a fist fight." He shook his head as AJ nodded, "They got him in custody?"

"Yeah. We'll have hold on him for the time being. Isn't no way he's getting out of here." AJ said, taking a bite of her burger, "We're so romantic." She mumbled as he laughed.

"No place I'd rather be, sweetheart." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"I'm gonna need to get him back in the interview room tomorrow. Talk to him some more." AJ said.

"You want me to be there?" Punk asked.

"No, I'll be ok. It's just… exhausting. Especially when they just fucking sit there." AJ shook her head, "He killed his wife, whether it was an accident or not, he killed her and then hid her body for two days." AJ said, "And there's no way he can talk his way out of it, that's why he's staying mute, waiting for a useless God damn lawyer." AJ shook her head as Punk watched her.

"Ok, lets keep your blood pressure controlled." He smiled a little as she laughed lightly, "We got enough on him right now to keep hold on him. Isn't no way he's getting out if that's what you're worried about." He said.

"I'm more worried that there are men out there killing their wives and trying to rape other women." AJ shook her head, leaning back on her chair and massaging her hands through her hair.

"I can speak to him tomorrow. Maybe he'll be more responsive if it's me talking to him." He said.

"No, it's ok, really." AJ nodded, "He can say nothing, we have good evidence to trial him on it, and he's going away for attempted rape regardless." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"Cheers to that." Punk said, lifting the plastic cup as A lifted hers and knocked it against his.

"Can you never remember that I don't like tomato on my burger." AJ groaned a little.

"Hey, I asked for no tomato." Punk shook his head as they continued to joke around until Punk's phone began to ring.

He wiped his hands on his trousers of course, picking his phone up when he saw it was his dad.

"Hey, what's up?" Punk said.

"Your mother is back." Dan said as Punk stiffened and looked at AJ who was watching him, "I just thought I'd warn you before you came to pick Nova up. I can drop her to you if you want-"

"Why is she back?" Punk questioned whilst AJ listened closely.

"I don't know. She's just showed up. I told her she's not welcomed here but she wants to talk." Dan said, "And she wants to see Nova."

"Absolutely not." Punk spat, "Don't let her near her. She lost that right a long, long time ago." Punk said.

"I know. I told her that." Dan said.

"Look, we won't be long here." Punk said, "We're just looking over a case and then we'll be there to pick her up." Punk said, "I'll see you then." Punk shook his head.

"Ok. I'll see you then." Dan nodded, hanging up as Punk placed his phone on the office desk as AJ looked at him.

"Your mom back?" She figured as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded sadly.

"Look, just forget about her." AJ shook her head, "She made her mess and she can't get out of it. Even your dad knows that now. She'll go back to wherever she came from when she realises she's not wanted here." She said as Punk just sighed to himself.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	63. Working Parents

**Working Parents**

* * *

Punk and AJ left the station to go pick Nova up shortly after his father's phone call. Punk didn't want to be bitter and immature, and go in all guns blazing against his mother, but he was mad that she thought she could just waltz back into their lives, especially when things ran smoothly without her in it.

"You can stay in the car if you want." Punk said to AJ as they pulled up outside the house.

"No, I'll come in." AJ nodded, stepping out of the car and walking round, taking his hand as they walked up the steps. Punk just walked straight into the house, opening up the living room door where he saw his mother sitting on the sofa holding Nova who was asleep.

Punk glared to his father who just put his hands up in defence, "I'm here for my daughter." Punk announced as Juliet barely even acknowledged him, she was too busy looking down at Nova, "Hey." Punk said, not wanting to shout in case he woke Nova.

"She's gorgeous." Juliet smiled, still refusing to look at Punk, instead looking dreamily at her granddaughter.

"We're leaving." Punk told her a little clearer as she eventually looked up at him, "Why are you here?" He asked angrily.

"I-I came back for more of my things." She stood up, keeping Nova close to her, "I found a place to stay."

"Where have you been all this time?" Punk screwed his eyes up.

"I was staying with a friend." Juliet said as Punk raised a brow.

"A guy?" Punk said as AJ squeezed his hand to control him.

"No, not a guy." Juliet bit back, "An old school friend. But I finally have my own place so I came back for my things." She said, turning to Dan, "I just want to be civil about the full thing."

"I think the chance to be civil has past you." Punk said, "You think you can drop a bomb the way you did and then just leave? You didn't even give dad an explanation. You barely gave me one." Punk shook his head whilst Dan stood over in the corner with his hands in his pockets, "You will never get forgiveness from me, I promise you that." He said.

"I know. I don't… I don't deserve forgiveness from either of you." Juliet said, turning to Dan also who just kept his eyes on the floor.

"Give me my daughter." Punk said, walking over to her and taking Nova from her whilst Dan brought the carrier over for Punk to place Nova in.

"I just want to apologise." Juliet sighed, "I just thought you had a right to know about everything."

"Nothing has changed." Punk told her, "I still only have one dad. The only thing that has changed is you turning out to be more of a witch than I thought you were." He said whilst AJ stood quietly.

"Don't be so disrespectful." Juliet hissed, "I am your mother. I raised you-"

"No, you didn't." Punk spat harshly, "I was just a reminder for you. A reminder of what you were worth. A cheap affair." He said, "I ruined everything for you and you can't stand it. That's why you tried to give me away, or send me away. But I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad when you look at me all you see is regret." He nodded, "It's what you deserve."

"Ok, Phil." Dan nodded to Punk, signalling that was enough.

"Is this how you speak to your girlfriend?" Juliet questioned as Punk laughed.

"No. It isn't." Punk said, "Just my disgusting mother." He said, "You don't get the pleasure of seeing my daughter either. You lost that right. Once you leave, don't… don't come back." Punk shook his head, strapping Nova carefully into her carrier and passing the carrier to AJ who looked down at Nova with a smile.

"I won't be back. After I go." Juliet said, "I know you'll miss me."

"Do me a favour." Punk rolled his eyes, "My world turns better when you are out of it. I'm pretty sure everyone's does." He said as the room was filled with silence and tension, so much of it, "C'mon, let's go." Punk nodded to AJ who turned back and headed out of the house.

He felt, in his heart, that he'd never forgive his mother. She was never really a mother, he felt stupid even calling her that, and for her to still expect him to show respect was laughable on his end. He had his family. The people who cared about him, and went out their way to help him. He had no room for liars. If this was the last time he saw his mother, then this was the last time.

"Will you be bringing Nova tomorrow?" Dan asked, following Punk out of the house whilst AJ headed on to the car with Nova.

"Yeah, if you don't mind." Punk said, "Listen, don't take any crap from her. She expects us to bow down and beg her to stay but…. I couldn't care less if she left and never returned." Punk shrugged as Dan nodded.

"I still need to talk to her but… I feel the same. Things… Things were working out better without her here." He nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow then." Dan nodded to him.

"Yeah. Thanks." Punk said, heading on down the steps and getting into the car whilst Dan shut the door over.

"You ok?" AJ asked once Punk got back into the car and turned the engine on.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, pulling away and getting back on route to go home as AJ watched him. She could see he was angry, and he had a right to be. She didn't expect him to forgive his mother or try and mend their relationship. It was broken. Just like her relationship with her own mother. She understood how he felt. But she didn't want him to get so uptight about the full thing. She knew he got all tense.

"Just… just let her go, let is all slide over your head." AJ nodded, "Don't let her get to you."

"She came back for a reaction." Punk nodded, "She came back and expected me to feel sorry for her." Punk nodded, despite the broken relationship, he knew his mother very well.

"Well then let her try and get a reaction. She won't get it." AJ said, "She'll get her things and she'll be on her way." AJ nodded, "Don't let it get to you. Don't even rise to her level. You should have just walked in, spoke to your dad, got Nova and then left." She said as Punk shook his head a little.

"Next time I'll do better." Punk said angrily as AJ turned to him.

"Excuse me?" AJ said.

"Well I'm sorry I don't handle a situation as gracefully as you do, April. I'll work on it." Punk said.

"Phil, I'm trying to help you. I'm not having a go at you." AJ made clear as he just shook his head, "Are you serious right now?" She said.

"It's been a long day." Punk mumbled, "Sorry." He said, keeping his eyes on the road as AJ nodded, resting her head back on the seat. It had been a long day, for both of them, but that didn't give him the right to snap at her.

"Ok." AJ nodded.

They spent the rest of the car journey in silence, and when Punk pulled up outside the apartment block, AJ got out immediately and took Nova in her carrier from the back seat and headed away into the apartment building as Punk followed, feeling bad for taking his anger out on her.

He followed behind and got into the apartment just after her, watching as she headed straight into Nova's nursery with her in the carrier. He assumed she was putting her down in her crib. She was down for her night time sleep since Dan had given her, her last bottle with AJ and Punk staying late at the station.

Punk took a seat on the couch, rubbing Ace around his ears and patting his head whilst he heard AJ muttering soft words to Nova from in the nursery. He then watched her walk out of the nursery and straight into their own bedroom.

"I could be out here with you tonight." Punk looked at Ace who lay down.

He got up and headed into he and AJ's room, walking in on her getting changed into her pyjamas.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you." Punk said, closing their bedroom door over as she stayed with her back to him, stripping out of her black dress as he looked upon the scar on her shoulder, "Hey, you ever think of getting your tattoo redone?" Punk asked.

"No, I don't." AJ said, quickly putting her t-shirt on.

"April." Punk sighed, "I'm sorry, ok? My mom gets to me and I know you're only trying to help."

"Do you, though?" AJ turned around to him, "Or do you think I'm just trying to tell you what to do?" She asked him.

"I know you're just trying to help." Punk said, "Obviously I know that." He nodded, "My mom gets to me, just like your mom gets to you. We're compatible there. But how I handle situations is different from how you handle them." He nodded, "And it's been a long day. We've been at the station for hours." He said.

"Fine. I forgive you." AJ nodded as Punk rolled his eyes.

"But you're still mad at me." He said, "I don't like when you're mad at me." He said truthfully as AJ just stayed silent, stripping back the covers on the bed and getting in, "Ok." Punk muttered, "I'm gonna lock up." He told her, leaving their room and locking up the door of the apartment.

He topped up Ace's water bowl, said goodnight to him and Nova also who was fast asleep, and then he walked back into his bedroom where AJ lay with her back to him.

Punk stripped out of his clothes, knocking the bedroom light off as he got in bed. It had been a long day, and it was even harder with a family, that was something they were still adapting to. Whereas before, when they had tough days at the office, they could go home, separately as they did, and just take time to themselves. It was something they still weren't quite used to, and at times it was hard.

"Hey." Punk whispered, shuffling closer to AJ in bed, wrapping an arm around her as she turned around, looking up at him, "I'm sorry." He nodded.

"I know." AJ nodded, "I'm not mad. I just wanna go to sleep." She said as he nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, kissing her head softly, turning around on his side as AJ watched, lying on her back. They never fell asleep separately, she was always curled into him, or he was always spooning her from behind. She immediately felt disconnected, and it didn't feel right to fall asleep so separate.

She shuffled up behind him, pulling him round so he was lying on his back as he turned to her with surprise. He then watched as she curled into him, placing his arm around her as he smiled a little.

"Now you want to cuddle?" Punk whispered as she laughed lightly.

"I don't like sleeping at opposite sides of the bed." AJ said as he smiled to himself.

"Me neither." Punk said, kissing her head softly as she rested into him comfortably.

"I just don't like you seeing you get… all uptight about your mom. She's not worth it." AJ said quietly.

"I know." Punk said, "I try not to but… she just gets to me. And I know you were only trying to help. I didn't mean to snap at you." He said.

"It's ok. We've had a hard day." She whispered softly, "And we'll probably have an even harder one tomorrow." She said, already exhausted thinking about it as he groaned.

"Let's just enjoy being in bed right now. Please. Before it's time to get up." He said as she smiled.

"Goodnight." AJ said, looking up at him, reaching up and pressing a kiss on his lips, "I love you."

"I love you too." Punk said, holding her tightly as they fell asleep right away in each other's arms.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think! Enjoying some calm writing at the moment.**


	64. Perks Of The Job

**Perks Of The Job**

* * *

"Why are you not riding with AJ today?" Dean asked as he and Punk patrolled around in a car together with their radio on to let them know if they were needed anywhere.

"Well she's not really riding anywhere." Punk said, "She's all caught up with that Julio Moreno guy." He nodded, "I thought I was in the dog house last night." Punk said as Dean laughed a little.

"Why what did you do?" Dean questioned.

"I love how you always assume it was me who done something wrong." Punk shook his head.

"Well it normally is." Dean shrugged.

"Well to cut a long story short, my mom came back, I got all uptight like I normally do and I… I took it out on her on the way home." Punk said, "April doesn't take no shit from me, though. I think that's why we work so well. She'll tell me straight up that I'm being a dick." Punk nodded.

"You still fighting?" Dean asked.

"No, we worked it out." Punk said, "We'd had a long day. She was in that interview room the entire day. No wonder she couldn't be bothered with my shit." He admitted as Dean laughed.

"I don't know how she puts up with you, really." Dean said, "I mean, when we were in the academy together, there were a lot of times where I wanted to drive your head through a wall." Dean nodded as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Thank you." Punk nodded.

"Rewind for a second, why is your mom back?" Dean asked.

"She came back to get her things. She's found a place of her own, and she told me that once she was gone this time, I wouldn't see her again." Punk shrugged, "Good fucking riddance, I say." Punk said.

"Normally I would try and… encourage you to fix it but… after what she's done, lying all these years to you and your dad." Dean shook his head, "Nah."

"And she expects me to forgive her, that's the funny part." Punk shook his head, "I promised myself I wouldn't get mad. I promised April I wouldn't get mad." He admitted, taking a deep breath.

"Just don't think about it." Dean shrugged, "Where is Nova today?" He asked.

"She's at my dad's. April dropped her off and she said my mom was gone." He said as Dean nodded.

"You think she'll be a cop?" Dean asked.

"Who? Nova?" Punk said as Dean nodded, keeping his hands on the wheel whilst looking on at the road ahead, "She can be whatever she wants to be." Punk nodded.

"What if she wants to be a hooker?" Dean asked as Punk turned to him.

"I hate you." Punk said as Dean chuckled, "That's my kid." Punk cringed, "I literally hate you ninety percent of the time." He said.

"Well you said she could be whatever she wants." Dean shrugged, "Ok, maybe not a hooker. A stripper?" He said as Punk ran his hands over his face.

"It's like being shoved in an oven in here with you." Punk shook his head, "Stop talking about my daughter in the context of strippers and hookers." Punk spat as Dean chuckled to himself.

"She'll be a cop." Dean nodded, "If she has AJ's brains and your skill, a pretty damn good cop." Dean nodded, "Or maybe she'll date a cop."

"She isn't dating anyone. Period." Punk said as Dean laughed.

"Just you wait." Dean chuckled to himself as Punk shook his head, listening as their radio began to pipe up with a house address and a claim of two missing children.

They drove to the address and got out, "They say the kids were one and three?" Punk shook his head as they walked up the steps to the one-floored house.

"Yeah." Dean shook his head suspiciously, knocking on the door as a woman immediately opened.

"You have to help me my children are gone." The woman grabbed onto Dean as Punk watched closely.

"Ok, miss." Dean nodded, "Can we come in?" He asked as they walked into the house anyway, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol hitting them both as soon as they stepped in.

"Someone took my children they're not here I can't find them, where are they?" The woman raced on, continuing to grab at Dean.

"Ok, miss I need you to calm down." Dean nodded as Punk watched the woman, she had a glint in her eye, and her paranoia and rapid speech gave him the impression that she was under the influence of something.

"You need to go out and look for them!" She yelled.

"Ok, ma'am. Calm down." Punk said, "I'm gonna take a look around, maybe they're hiding, you know… kids like to hide." Punk nodded to her, turning to Dean and signalling him to look around the lounge area.

"You're wasting time someone took them!" She shouted with wide eyes as Punk headed off through the hall to check out the rest of the house whilst Dean stayed in the lounge area, looking around and keeping an eye on the pacing woman. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she was on something.

Punk looked in the few rooms, searching under the beds, in the bathroom, until he opened up a closet, looking on at the children with tape around their mouth and around their hands.

"Oh my God." Punk shook his head, strapping his gun back onto his side as he crouched down, looking on at the one-year old little girl and the three-year-old little boy, "Ok, it's ok." Punk nodded, gently taking the tape from their mouths as the little girl began to cry, "It's ok, sweetheart." Punk nodded, cutting the tape off from around their hands, leaving the room for a second as he grabbed out his handcuffs and threw them to Dean, "Get her in the back of the car." Punk pointed as Dean held up drugs he had found as Punk nodded.

"Why aren't you looking for them?" The woman asked bewildered whilst Dean called for additional unit, handcuffing the woman whilst Punk walked back into the room.

"Ok, c'mon." Punk helped them out of the closet, lifting the one-year-old up whilst the boy walked beside him, leaving the room. Some days weren't as hectic as others, but still equally as mentally challenging and draining.

* * *

"Was she high?" AJ asked, sitting beside Punk at his desk whilst he wrote up a report.

"She was high on something alright." Punk nodded, "She must have been high, put them in the closet, got even more high, and forgot where they were." Punk shook his head, "The little girl was fucking crying. They looked terrified." He shook his head, "The mom is in custody and the kids are with a social worker." He said as AJ nodded, "How are you getting on?" He turned to her as she nodded, resting against the chair beside him.

"Ok, I guess." AJ nodded, "It's still like trying to get blood out of a stone, but we're making some progress." She nodded, "We've got enough to trial him on the murder of his wife but I'm still betting he makes a confession before the end of the day." AJ nodded.

"You're not fucking him up in there, are you?" Punk smiled a little, continuing to write things down as AJ smiled to herself.

"Me? No." AJ smiled sarcastically, "No, really… I'm taking it easy on him." AJ folded her arms as Punk nodded, "You feeling ok today?" She asked him as he turned to her with confusion, "You know, with your mom…" AJ said as Punk nodded.

"I'm fine." Punk nodded, "I'm just not thinking about it. She's gone now." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"When I dropped Nova at your dad's this morning, he seemed a little down." AJ admitted, "Do you think we should maybe have him over for dinner one night?" She asked him as Punk nodded.

"Yeah. If he's up to it." Punk nodded, "I'll pitch the idea later when we pick Nova up." He said as AJ nodded, looking on at the frame sitting on Punk's desk of her and Nova, picking it up and smiling.

"I miss her." She sighed as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, me too." Punk agreed, watching AJ sit the frame back down.

"Ok, I'll stop annoying you and let you work." She said, leaning forward and kissing his cheek as she left his desk to go back to her office.

* * *

Later that night after Punk and AJ picked Nova up from Dan's and got home, AJ was in the kitchen making herself hot chocolate whilst Punk was laying up on the sofa watching TV with Ace lying beside him. Nova was down for the night after having her last bottle and having some play time on her mat which consisted of Punk sitting beside her waving all her toys in her face.

"You know, she's gonna be going onto solids soon." AJ said, putting the milk back in the fridge and walking over to the couch with hot chocolate as Punk shifted his legs to let her sit down beside him.

"I thought that wasn't until another few months." Punk said.

"No, soon." AJ nodded, "We should try giving her some mashed up stuff. Like carrots and potatoes. Smooth stuff." AJ said, "Did you put that gel on her when you put her down?" She asked him.

"Yeah. She bit my finger." Punk groaned as AJ laughed to herself, "Hopefully she won't wake up tonight." He said. Over the past few days, Nova had been waking up through the night since she was teething.

"She looked tired." AJ said, "Your dad said she didn't really have a good nap today. Probably her teeth that's bothering her." She sighed sadly as Punk nodded, "So your dad is coming for dinner this weekend, what should I make?" She asked him.

"He'll eat anything." Punk nodded, "Just… something you know." He said wearily as she rolled her eyes.

"Phil, I gave you food poisoning once, ok? I get it." AJ rolled her eyes as Punk chuckled, "I'll make something simple." She shrugged, "I'm glad he's coming. He might not admit it, but all of this going on with your mom has to have affected him in some way, right?" AJ said, sipping on her hot chocolate as Punk nodded, his mind elsewhere, "Hey, what you thinking about?" She asked him as he shook his head out of his daze.

"Those kids today." Punk said, "They were fucking tied up in a closet." Punk shook his head as AJ nodded, "They looked terrified."

"Well they're in safe hands now." AJ nodded, rubbing his arm softly.

"Makes you wonder how long they were there, or if they've been there before." Punk said.

"You know you can't think about stuff like that." She said, "You done your job. It'll show that she isn't fit to look after them, especially with possession of class A drugs." She said, "You done your bit, the social will do theirs." She said, kissing his shoulder softly as he nodded. It wasn't like him to get wound up about a case. Ever since they returned to work, everything they done, they felt the impact of it just a little bit harder. They assumed it was because of Nova, they were taking things a lot more seriously, and it was hitting home a lot harder.

"Today, Dean used our daughter's name and hooker in the same sentence." Punk turned to her as her eyebrows raised.

"Can I ask why?" AJ said.

"Well he asked me if I thought Nova would end up being a cop, and I said she could be whatever she wanted to be, and he suggested a hooker." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I'll kill him tomorrow." AJ said as Punk smiled, "No, I'm serious." She tutted, "Talking about my baby like that." She shook her head as Punk smiled.

"She'll be smart like you." Punk nodded, "I mean, she got all the looks from me." He shrugged as AJ chuckled to herself.

"Mhm of course she did." AJ said, "Smart like me. Bipolar like me." AJ whispered as Punk turned to her, "What?" AJ shrugged.

"If or when that comes about, then we'll give her the help she needs. The help you never got." Punk nodded, "She's got the best person to talk to about it." He nodded to her, "And she's not gonna have to suffer."

"I know." AJ nodded, "I will do anything I can to make sure she can still live her life normally." AJ said as Punk nodded, leaning down and kissing her head as she smiled.

"She's got the best mom." Punk said as AJ smiled, leaning into him as they picked a movie to watch for the night.


	65. Don't Dream, It's Over

**Don't Dream, It's Over**

* * *

"Just take one step for daddy, c'mon." Punk nodded as he sat on the floor, watching as the birthday girl, his one-year old daughter, lifted herself up to her feet, using the coffee table of course. She had been pulling herself up a lot recently, but she was never really stable enough to take steps, and of course Punk was doing his best to encourage her to do so.

Their apartment was covered in pink balloons and birthday banners, and they had their friends and Punk's father over to celebrate Nova's first birthday. AJ wanted it to be the best day, and so far, it had been.

"Take a step." Punk nodded, "No one is watching, it's fine." He said as Nova balanced against the coffee table. Everyone else was in the kitchen looking at the birthday cake, and his father had taken Ace out for a walk since he was getting stressed.

Nova was a chirpy baby. She giggled at almost everything, but AJ assumed that was just her age. She loved to hold things, or more so grab things from people and claim them as hers. She also really enjoyed tugging on her father's beard. She was identical to AJ. She was just her little mini me. The eyes, the soft Puerto Rican skin, the dark hair, and the stubbornness, which was starting to show already.

Their first year of parenthood had really opened their eyes to a lot of things. It hadn't been easy the entire time, and they were still learning things, but having Nova was still the greatest thing either of them had done. They were still dedicated jobaholics, but had a schedule worked out around Nova and being there for her as much as they could.

"C'mon, walk towards me." Punk spoke to her, sitting with his legs in a basket as he watched her. She fascinated him. He was still in disbelief that she was really his.

"Phil, sit her up for her cake." AJ called over from the kitchen whilst Dan got back in with Ace.

"Alright, no walking today then." Punk huffed, standing up and lifting Nova up in a flash, collapsing on the couch with her on his lap as she seemed angry he had taken her away from the coffee table, she immediately began to wriggle away from him as he laughed, "Alright, alright." Punk kept her up on his lap as he laughed at her trying to wriggle away, "Look. Look, Nova." Punk pointed to AJ who appeared holding the cake with a number one candle lit on it.

Nova immediately stopped wriggling and looked up curiously at the cake, watching as everyone gathered around. Dean, Seth, Eve, Rocky and his father. Nova smiled, slapping Punk's hands which were wrapped around her small little frame with excitement as Punk chuckled.

They sang happy birthday to her as she seemed very pleased with the whole thing. She loved the attention, which terrified Punk.

They sang happy birthday and then AJ and Punk helped her blow out her candle. AJ was never going to forget her daughter's face at that moment. She seemed so happy, and in her father's arms which was her favourite place to see her in.

* * *

"Do you think she had a good day?" AJ asked quietly, placing down Nova in her crib with Punk spectating. The one-year old was out like a light, exhausted from her exciting day which in AJ's eyes, had been a success.

"Yeah, definitely." Punk nodded, "Not that she really knows what the hell is even going on." Punk chuckled a little.

"She definitely knew that she was the centre of attention." AJ laughed as Punk nodded.

"She did." Punk nodded, "We gotta knock that out of her." He said as AJ rolled her eyes, pulling the blanket over Nova in her crib, cupping her cheek softly. She was still their baby very much, but she had grown so much since she was born. She had her own little cheeky personality and quirks now that they couldn't live without, and she was very much their entire world.

"Sweet dreams, baby." AJ said softly as Punk smiled, both of them leaving the nursery and heading across to the sofa where AJ had a scrap book opened up on the coffee table with all the pictures printed out that she had taken today.

She made a vow when Nova was born, to document all special moments in a scrap book, and she'd stuck to it.

"Look at this one." AJ chuckled, showing Punk the picture as she knelt down at the coffee table. It was a picture of Nova sitting beside Ace whilst she rubbed a balloon against his fur. Punk chuckled, watching as she stuck the pictures into the scrap book.

The book started off with pictures of Nova just born in the hospital. There was a Christmas pictured in it. Days at the park. Her first day at the station. Halloween. Everything was in it and AJ loved to look back at all the pictures.

"You feeling better today?" Punk asked her, sitting on the sofa as she finished up with the scrap book, closing it over and collapsing down beside him as she nodded.

"Yeah. A little." AJ nodded. She'd just gotten out of a depressive cycle recently, and today had really lifted her spirits with everyone around and celebrating her daughter's birthday. It was still difficult being a mom, a detective and taking care of her mental health at the same time. But she was doing it. She was doing it all, "It was good to have everyone here to celebrate. Everyone that we care about." She nodded.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, "And she's gonna walk soon. I'm telling you." Punk nodded.

"Phil, stop pushing her. She'll walk when she's ready." AJ laughed a little, "You're gonna be that dad, aren't you?" She shook her head.

"What dad?" Punk looked down at her.

"The soccer dad who just… screams at their kid the entire length of the game whilst the other parents watch." She laughed.

"I'd never scream at Nova. She's too cute." Punk said as AJ smiled.

"It was nice to have a day off work today." AJ admitted as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, it felt strange." Punk nodded, "Miss it?" He smirked, looking down at her.

"No, not today." AJ smiled, looking up at him with a smile as he smirked down at her.

"Ok." Punk nodded, standing up and lifting her up with him as she chuckled, wrapping her legs and arms around him as he walked to their bedroom, opening up the door and shutting it over with his foot as he threw her on the bed whilst she chuckled and let her eyes feast upon him. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

* * *

The next day, Punk and AJ were at the station working late whilst Nova was with Dan. They were powering through a ton of cases and almost all officers were staying behind to help out, but at some point, they did have to go home.

"I left that paper work on your desk, AJ." Seth said, walking out of the station with AJ, Punk, Dean and Rocky.

"Thanks, Seth. I really appreciate that." AJ nodded as Seth smiled, wrapping his arm around her tightly.

"Anything for my favourite detective." He nodded as AJ smiled, walking out of the station as they all paused before going their separate ways, talking about any work they had missed today on any cases.

"I still have to run that plate. I'll do it when I get home." Rocky said.

"Well there's no rush on that." Punk said, "I'm more interested in this crack den. Could be something there." He said as they nodded, further talking about the different cases outside the station. It was nice after a long day for them all to go home and relax, especially Punk and AJ who could go home and see their baby.

Punk was listening into the conversation, rolling his eyes as Dean and Seth began to bicker whilst AJ leaned against him laughing. He then looked up onto the road, watching a van slowly roll up along the road.

It was like it all happened in slow motion. As soon as he saw the side of the van slide open, he knew it was bad news, and from instinct, he pushed AJ down onto the ground as rapid gun shots began firing at them.

Dean scrambled behind the nearest car whilst Rocky got low on the ground, Seth doing the same as they covered their heads.

They all looked up once they heard the van skid away, getting to their feet whilst other cops poured out onto the street.

AJ got up, turning to her side to look up at Punk when instead, she had to look down, almost stumbling over when she saw him down.

"Phil." AJ scattered to the ground beside him, looking for the wound as her hands immediately became soaked in blood around his chest area, "Hey, baby." AJ shook her head in disbelief, "No, c'mon." AJ watched as blood began trickling down the corner of his mouth, "Someone call an ambulance!" AJ screamed behind her as Seth got his phone out and called 911 whilst others watched with fear.

"Is it… is it… bad?" Punk asked her. He'd been shot before, plenty of times, but not as bad as this, but if he hadn't pushed AJ down and stepped into the bullet, it would have been her that got it, and he wasn't going to let that happen.

"It's not that bad." AJ smiled and nodded, "Ok, it's just… it' just some blood." She said, her hands shaking as the blood practically dripped from them, but she wasn't let them off of his wound, she was applying all the pressure she could, "Keep your eyes opened, ok? That's all you have to do." AJ nodded to him as he lifted his head, looking around at the ground which was bloody around him.

"Fuck." Punk groaned, double blinking as he rolled his head back down, coughing as more blood spilled out from his mouth.

Dean stood behind, his hand over his mouth with tears in his eyes as he watched his best friend, his brother, choking on his own blood, whilst Rocky encouraged other officers to go back into the station.

"Baby, we're going home to Nova." AJ nodded to him, "You're gonna get… you're gonna get a few stitches and then… and then we'll go home." AJ smiled to him as he gripped her arm tightly, as if trying to calm her down. Even in the state he was in, he was still trying to help her.

* * *

AJ sat in the hospital waiting room an hour later, dried in blood on her hands and up her dress. She sat leaning against Seth whilst Dean leaned against the opposite wall. Rocky insisted to stay back and send every uniformed officer out to find that drive-by van and catch every motherfucker who was in it. His words exactly.

"He's dead." AJ whispered and nodded as Seth kissed her head.

"He's a tough kid, ok?" Seth nodded, "He'll fight."

"He was dead in the ambulance." AJ said. Her body had gone numb. She felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"He was still breathing, April." Seth assured her, "It was faint, but he was breathing." He nodded, "He'll fight for you and he'll fight for Nova." He said as AJ swallowed the lump in her throat. She'd saw him get shot so many times, but those times weren't when he was the father of her daughter, and the love of her life that she'd yet to discover.

"He's gonna be fine." Dean nodded, almost speaking it to himself to assure himself as they all waited silently.

AJ stood up immediately when the doctor walked up to them, and he had this look on his face. This look on his face that AJ didn't wish to see, and then he shook his head.

"I'm sorry." The doctor placed his hand on her shoulder as AJ looked at him. Everything became blurry and hazy. She felt like she couldn't hear or see, "He didn't make it." He said as Dean walked off down the corridor with his hands on his head whilst Seth stood up to prevent AJ from falling over. Nothing felt real.

* * *

 _Four years later…_

"Ok. Bookbag. Pencil case. Gym shoes. Lunch. And your note for being off sick last week." AJ placed everything into her daughter's school bag as she sat at the kitchen table eating her cereal, "We've not forgotten anything, have we?" AJ asked her five-year-old daughter who shook her head.

"I don't need the note." Nova shook her head.

"Why?" AJ asked, "They need to know you were off with the flu." She said.

"You're meant to call." Nova told her as AJ nodded.

"Ok, well… I forgot." AJ shrugged, "So the note will have to do." She said, walking over to her and sitting her bookbag on the table beside her, "Your grandpa is coming to pick you up from school today, so look for him." AJ reminded her, "And don't go to the office and tell them I forgot to pick you up like last time." AJ said as Nova chuckled to herself as AJ smiled, flicking her chin playfully.

"Ok." Nova continued to laugh, finishing up her cereal and pushing the bowl away.

"Finished?" AJ asked her as the five-year-old nodded, watching as her mother took her bowl away. She was a beautiful little girl. The image of AJ. Her skin was even more tanned than her mother's, her eyes were big, brown and innocent, her hair was dark and normally in pletes or down straight around her pretty little face. But she didn't have AJ's attitude. No. She had her father's.

AJ turned around from the kitchen, looking over at Nova playing around with her gun, "Nova, what'd I tell you?" AJ walked over to the table, taking the gun from her, "Don't touch." She warned as Nova rolled her eyes.

"Why not? You get to." Nova pushed.

"Because it's-"

"Your job. Uh huh." Nova sighed, resting her head on her hand as AJ looked at her huffy little face.

"They're dangerous." AJ crouched down in front of her at the table, "Incredibly dangerous. If you don't know how to use it, it's even more dangerous." She said as Nova looked at her, unimpressed, "Please, stop touching it." She said as Nova just nodded as AJ smiled, leaning up and kissing her cheek loudly, "Ok, get your things." AJ said, strapping the gun onto her side strap, putting her coat on as Nova struggled to get her bookbag on her back, "Here." AJ helped her, putting her bag on her.

"Will you be late again tonight?" Nova asked her.

"I'll try not to be, baby." AJ said, grabbing her car keys, "You got everything?" She asked as Nova nodded, "Ok, say bye to Ace." She said as Nova ran off to Ace who was laying on the couch.

"Bye Ace!" Nova exclaimed, startling the dog a little as she wrapped her arms around his furry neck and squeezed him as AJ laughed a little.

"Ok, baby. Let's go." AJ smiled as Nova kissed Ace and ran back to her mother, taking her hand as they left the apartment.

* * *

 **A/N: Setting up for a sequel. Fear not. Stay tuned for the sequel to this story coming soon.**


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